Sports CS Amina Mohamed eyeing World Trade Organisation’s top job
By Nahashon MusunguAmid reports of a looming Cabinet reshuffle, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed’s days in the ministry could be numbered after she appeared to announce her interest in the soon to be vacant World Trade Organisation (WTO) Chief Executive role.
Current WTO’s CEO Roberto Azevedo, 62, has announced he will be stepping down in September and Mohamed, who unsuccessfully vied for the African Union Commission chairman two years ago, is expected to compete against three other candidates from Spain, Britain, and the Netherlands for the WTO position.
AFRICAN WOMAN
Speaking to the Financial Times, Mohamed suggested the new WTO leader should preferably be a woman from Africa.
“If that person happens to be African, or happens to be a woman, I think it would be so much better. It is important to be inclusive and show that the membership knows that every part of the globe can make a positive contribution to the running of the WTO,” she said.
A respected career diplomat, Mohamed has served in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sports during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure.
SUCCESS AND FAILURE
Her stint at the sports docket has been fairly successful, with several national teams including Harambee Stars attaining qualification to international tournaments.
The men and women national rugby teams, plus the women volleyball team also qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (which have since been postponed) under her watch.
But her tenure has also been marred by controversy over the failure to renovate sports infrastructure, plus her perceived inability to end the consistent wrangling within sports federations, especially Football Kenya Federation (FKF).