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AMBASSADOR MONICA KATHINA JUMA, DPhil (Oxon), EGH
Ag. Cabinet Secretary, Petroleum and Mining
Contact Info
Education

Ambassador (Dr.) Monica Juma is the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kenya. She oversees the execution of the mandate of the Ministry, which entails provision of clean, sustainable, affordable, reliable and secure energy services for national development while protecting the environment.

Amb. (Dr.) Juma joined the Ministry of Energy from the Ministry of Defence where, as Cabinet Secretary, she oversaw the Ministry’s constitutional mandate, to defend and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Kenya.  In this capacity, she was Principal Advisor of the President and the National Assembly on any matter relating to the Defence Forces, was a member of the National Security Council, in-charge of the overall Defence policy formulation, guidance and implementation, and chaired the Defence Council which is responsible for overall control, policy and direction of the Kenya Defence Forces. Amb. (Dr.) Juma was also the Chair of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), 2020-2021, an international governance mechanism established in New York on January 14, 2009 to facilitate the discussion and coordination of actions among states and organizations to suppress Somali piracy.

Amb. (Dr.) Juma was appointed to the Ministry of Defence from the Ministry of Foreign affairs, where she served first as Principal Secretary (2016-2018) and then as Cabinet Secretary (2018-2020). During her stint at the MFA, Amb. (Dr.)  Juma led Kenya’s diplomatic corps in projecting, promoting, protecting and pursuing the national interests of the Republic of Kenya across the world. During her tenure Kenya become an undisputed and much sought after thought and demonstrative leader on critical agenda at the regional, continental and global level. In 2018, Amb. (Dr.) Juma was elected to Chair the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group for a year (2018-2019).

Before serving at the helm of Kenya’s diplomacy, Amb. (Dr.) Juma was the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government (2014-2015). In the interior docket, she drove transformation and reforms in the national security from the policy, architecture and operations at the National Administration, to the Immigration and Registration of Persons departments, as well as the National Police Service. She also initiated work that led to the development of Kenya’s strategy on Counter Terrorism and Violent Extremism and the creation of the multi-agency approach in tackling security challenges, in general, and terrorism in particular. Collectively, these measures significantly reduced Kenya’s vulnerability to terrorist attacks and restored security across the country.

Prior to being at the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Amb. (Dr.) Juma was the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Defence (2013-2014) where she was instrumental in strengthening the business process systems within the Ministry, clarifying the defence strategic orientation and bolstering the professional stature of the Kenya Defence Forces.

Dr. Juma came to the top Executive of Government from serving as Ambassador Extra-Ordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kenya to Ethiopia and Djibouti, and Permanent Representative of Kenya to the African Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and United Nations Commission for Africa (UNECA), between June 2010 and July 2013. Among the key efforts during this time was the negotiations for the re-hatting of the Kenya Defence Forces into the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

She joined government with a depth of experience in research and policy analysis accumulated from working for various continental and international think tanks, including the International Peace Academy, SaferAfrica, and the African Institute of South Africa. She also served in the United Nation’s Secretary General’s (UNSG) High Level Panel on Resourcing African Union led, UNSC mandated peacekeeping missions (otherwise known as the Prodi Report 2008), and consulted for many UN Agencies, the African Union and its agencies, in particular NEPAD on matters of security, peace, governance and development.

Amb (Dr.) Juma has strong academic credentials, having served as a lecturer in the Department of Government and Public Administration and Research Director at the Centre for Refugee Studies, both at Moi University, Eldoret. She began her work experience as a Management Analyst in the Department of Personnel Management – Office of the President, where she focused on organizational development within the public service.

Amb (Dr.) Monica Juma is well published in security and peace studies. She holds a number of academic qualifications: a Bachelor of Arts Degree and Master of Arts Degree in Government and Public Administration from the University of Nairobi; a Certificate of Refugee Studies and a Doctor of Philosophy in Politics from the University of Oxford.