GENEVA, Switzerland – Kenya’s diplomatic mission in Geneva is under fire after revelations that Ambassador Fancy Too signed off on a luxury residence well above the spending limits set by Nairobi — igniting a storm within one of the country’s most strategically important foreign outposts.
Too, President William Ruto’s top envoy to the UN hub, is alleged to have committed to a lease costing 16,000 Swiss francs (about KSh2.5 million) per month — a clear breach of the 12,960-franc (KSh2 million) cap imposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs amid ongoing budget cuts.
“This isn’t just about one apartment,” a senior ministry official told this outlet on condition of anonymity. “It’s about morale, compliance, and the message it sends about our credibility abroad.”
A confidential memo dated July 11, 2024, from Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei, warned all 68 Kenyan missions against overspending, noting that austerity measures demanded strict compliance with approved ceilings.
Heads of mission, including those in Geneva, were advised not to exceed 12,960 francs for housing, while deputies were capped at 8,640 francs.
Yet Too, a political appointee who took up her post earlier this year, reportedly went ahead with the high-cost lease—stoking tensions with her deputy James Waweru and members of the mission’s budget committee.
Sources indicate the decision has caused unease among staff concerned about transparency and adherence to directives from Nairobi.
Repeated attempts to get comment from Too were unsuccessful, while PS Sing’Oei has not publicly addressed the matter.
However, sources at the ministry confirmed a closed-door meeting between the PS and the ambassador, who is currently on leave in Nairobi.
A Wider Pattern of Diplomatic Discord
The Geneva dispute is not isolated. According to officials familiar with the foreign service, internal feuds between heads of mission and their deputies are increasingly undermining Kenya’s diplomatic coherence.
Recent examples include the reassignment of deputy heads of mission from Ottawa to Kinshasa and from Berlin to Vienna following persistent clashes with ambassadors.
Similar turf wars have been reported in London, Paris, The Hague, New Delhi, and Pretoria.
Critics argue such disputes, often fueled by political appointments and unclear power dynamics, are damaging Kenya’s diplomatic brand—particularly in missions that serve as crucial global platforms.
Strategic Stakes in Geneva
Geneva hosts over 40 international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), World Trade Organization (WTO), and International Labour Organization (ILO), making it a vital base for Kenya’s multilateral diplomacy.
A prolonged fallout at the mission could impair Kenya’s ability to project influence and discipline on the global stage — at a time when the country is positioning itself as a regional powerhouse and development partner.
While the standoff has yet to erupt into a full-blown scandal, it has renewed scrutiny of internal oversight within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — and the quiet, often unspoken tensions that shape Kenya’s diplomacy far from home.
As one diplomat put it, “In foreign service, credibility isn’t just built in negotiation rooms. Sometimes, it begins — or unravels — in the living room.”
