Ababu Namwamba, the Chief Administrative Secretary for Foreign Affairs, has been appointed to the presidential campaign of William Ruto.
Ruto said in a statement on Wednesday that the team values his leadership, legal, and political skills. “Over the last ten years, we’ve worked closely with Ababu on a variety of fronts, and I’ve come to admire his leadership, experience, and empathy,” he said.
“It is because of those qualities that I could not be more grateful to have him on our campaign team.” Ruto said Ababu will lead the international relations within his presidential campaign.”With his considerable diplomatic talents, deep knowledge of the continent, strong network in the global stage and unwavering determination, I am confident in his role,” he said.
Ababu, he noted, has a stellar reputation as a public interest lawyer. “…and has previously been a prominent advocate for international human rights and fair trade practices on the international lobbying circuit,” he said. Ruto described himself as “humbled and lucky” to be able to continue to attract such a capable and distinguished group of citizens to carry out his presidency.
Last week, Ababu said he will not contest for any seat but will focus on marketing Ruto’s presidential bid.He said he will not seek to recapture the Budalang’i MP seat. Raphael Wanjala is the incumbent MP. He defeated Ababu in the 2017 polls. Before being elbowed out by Wanjala, Ababu had served as MP for 10 years, between 2007 and 2017.
“I have already announced that the Budalang’i parliamentary seat is one shoe that my foot no longer fits. I’m now an international figure and I can’t play in amateur leagues again. I have already declared that I will not contest for any political seat during the August general election,” he said. Ababu on December 31 last year officially declared he had joined UDA. The CAS said he will not support leaders he described as “story tellers”.
