PS Sing’oei wants Parliament to halt Foreign Service bill amendments until government review

PS Sing’oei wants Parliament to halt Foreign Service bill amendments until government review

The policy proposes that 70 per cent of diplomats should be career officers who have worked in the foreign service, while the remaining 30 per cent would be appointed from outside the professional diplomatic service.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei has asked Parliament to suspend debate on proposed changes to the Foreign Service Act until the government completes its review of the law, expected by the end of November.

The Foreign Service (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to change the law governing Kenya’s diplomatic service to align it with the country’s 2025 foreign policy.

The policy proposes that 70 per cent of diplomats should be career officers who have worked in the foreign service, while the remaining 30 per cent would be appointed from outside the professional diplomatic service.

Speaking before the National Assembly’s Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs on Friday, Sing’oei said the government’s ongoing review should be allowed to finish before Parliament considers changes to the law to ensure the proposed changes address the challenges facing Kenya’s foreign service.

“This proposed amendment Bill will comprehensively address the current shortcomings being experienced in Kenya’s foreign policy space,” Sing’oei told the committee.

The Foreign Affairs PS also raised concerns about the proposed split, saying appointments should be based on skills, experience and suitability for the job rather than whether a person is a career or non-career diplomat. He warned that a fixed quota could undermine merit-based hiring protected by the Constitution.

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“This would be contrary to Article 232(1)(g) of the Constitution on Values and Principles of the Public Service, that merit and fair competition inform the basis of both appointments and promotions in public service,” he said.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) supported the push for a professional diplomatic service but warned that the Bill’s wording could weaken the proposed 70:30 split.

“The Bill provides for career diplomats to consist of not more than seventy per cent of all appointments. The phrase ‘not more than 70 per cent sets a maximum, meaning career diplomats may constitute up to 70 per cent, but could also account for 40 per cent, 50 per cent, or any other proportion below that threshold, thus legally permitting a cohort to consist of a tiny fraction of career diplomats and defeating the policy goal of Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2025,” the LSK said.

The Kenya Law Reform Commission also called for clearer rules on the proposed split, including definitions of career and non-career diplomats and how the quota would be applied.

The Defence Committee will continue receiving submissions before presenting its report to the National Assembly for consideration.