Monica Juma

Monica Kathina Juma CBS, EGH, MBS (born 26 September 1963) is a Kenyan diplomat who currently serves as National Security Advisor to President William Ruto.^[1] She previously served as the Cabinet Secretary for Defence in the cabinet of President Uhuru Kenyatta.^[2][3]

Monica Juma
Monica Juma
National Security Advisor
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 October 2022
Appointed by	William Ruto
Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum
In office 30 September 2021 – 27 October 2022
President	Uhuru Kenyatta
Preceded by	Charles Keter
Succeeded by	Davis Chirchir
Cabinet Secretary for Defence
In office 14 January 2020 – 30 September 2021
Appointed by	Uhuru Kenyatta
Preceded by	Raychelle Omamo
Succeeded by	Eugene Wamalwa
Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs
In office 5 February 2018 – 14 January 2020
Appointed by	Uhuru Kenyatta
Preceded by	Amina Mohamed
Succeeded by	Raychelle Omamo
Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs
In office 12 January 2016 – 5 February 2018
Appointed by	Uhuru Kenyatta
Preceded by	Dr. Eng. Perminus Karanja Kibicho, PhD
Succeeded by	Macharia Kamau
Principal Secretary for Interior
In office 15 August 2014 – 11 January 2016
Appointed by	Uhuru Kenyatta
Preceded by	Elijah Mutea Iringo
Succeeded by	Dr. Eng. Perminus Karanja Kibicho
Principal Secretary for Defence
In office 15 July 2013 – 14 August 2014
Appointed by	Uhuru Kenyatta
Preceded by	Ambassador Nancy Chepkemoi Kirui (nee Cheluget)
Succeeded by	Elijah Mutea Iringo
Personal details
Born	(1963-09-26) 26 September 1963 (age 61) Kitui District, Southern Province, Kenya Colony
Political party	United Democratic Alliance.
Children	2
Education	University of Nairobi (BA, MA) University of Oxford (DPhil)

Early life and education

Juma studied at the University of Nairobi for her Bachelors of Arts in Government & Public Administration and Masters of Arts in Government & Public Administration and University of Oxford, Certificate in Refugee Studies and where she also attained her Doctorate of Philosophy in Politics.

Diplomatic career

Juma has a long career in the diplomatic service, having served as Kenya's concurrent ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti, the African Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, based out of Addis Ababa.^[4] On 27 June 2013, she was sworn in as the Principal Secretary, in the Kenya Ministry of Defence, serving in that capacity until she was moved to the Kenya Ministry of the Interior, as Principal Secretary.^[4][5]

Political career

Juma served as the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs between January 2016 and February 2018.^[6]

She served as the Principal Secretary in the State Department of Interior, Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government.

Prior to serving in the Ministry of Interior, Juma served as the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Defence.^[7][8]

On 23 May 2024, Juma was among the guests invited to the state dinner hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in honor of President William Ruto at the White House.^[9]

Juma and Mike Pompeo in Washington, D.C., 2018

Other activities

Juma is a senior research fellow in the Department of Political Science, at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. She is also an adjunct faculty member at the African Centre for Strategic Studies of the National Defense University, in Washington, D.C. in the United States of America. She has written and published extensively on the subjects of her specialization.^[4]

See also

• Amina Mohamed
• Raychelle Omamo
• Judy Wakhungu