Humphrey Wattanga Nominated as Kenya’s High Commissioner to South Africa Following Exit from KRA
Humphrey Wattanga, who recently stepped down as Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority, has been nominated by President William Ruto to serve as Kenya’s new High Commissioner to South Africa.
The nomination was announced on Wednesday evening, April 8, 2026, shortly after his departure from the tax body was made public. Wattanga will be based in Pretoria, a key diplomatic post for Kenya on the African continent, where he is expected to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.
Wattanga’s exit from the Kenya Revenue Authority was confirmed earlier on the same day. The KRA Board Chair, Ndiritu Muriithi, stated that the former Commissioner General had proceeded on terminal leave with immediate effect. Lilian Nyawanda was appointed as the Acting Commissioner General to take over leadership at the authority. The board thanked Wattanga for his service and leadership during his time at the helm of the revenue collection agency.
In a notification released by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, the government described the nomination as part of the regular cycle of diplomatic postings aimed at expanding Kenya’s international presence. President Ruto also nominated other envoys in the same round, including Dr. Julius Murori Mbijiwe as Ambassador to the Vatican, and Amb. Irene Maswan and Amb. Judy Muthoni Njau as deputy envoys to the United Kingdom and Belgium respectively. The names have been forwarded to the National Assembly for approval as required by the Constitution. Many observers view the swift transition as a smooth redeployment of experienced public servants into diplomatic roles.
