Monica Kathina Juma {{post-nominals|country=KEN|sep=true|CBS|EGH|MBS}} (born 26 September 1963) is a Kenyan diplomat who currently serves as National Security Advisor to President William Ruto.{{Cite web|url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2022/09/president-ruto-retains-monica-juma-in-new-cabinet-appointments/|title=President Ruto Retains Monica Juma In New Cabinet Appointments|date=27 September 2022 |publisher=Capital News}} She previously served as the Cabinet Secretary for Defence in the cabinet of President Uhuru Kenyatta.{{Cite web|title=UoN Digital Repository Home|url=http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/|website=erepository.uonbi.ac.ke|access-date=2020-05-28}}Duncan Miriri and Omar Mohammed (14 January 2020), [https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-kenya-finmin-idUKKBN1ZD0U8 Kenya's president reshuffles cabinet amid rift with deputy president] Reuters.

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.go.ke/dr-monica-juma/|title=Ambassador Monica Juma, DPhil, CBS, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs|author=Kenya Ministry of Foreign Affairs|date=2016|publisher=Kenya Ministry of Foreign Affairs|location=Nairobi|access-date=1 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113000100/http://www.mfa.go.ke/dr-monica-juma/|archive-date=13 November 2018|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite web|date=2014 | url=http://www.mod.go.ke/?page_id=372 | title=Ambassador Dr. Monica Juma, MBS, Principal Secretary Ministry of Defence, Kenya |publisher=Kenya Ministry of Defence |author=Kenya Ministry of Defence |location=Nairobi | access-date=1 February 2018}}

Political career

Juma served as the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs between January 2016 and February 2018.{{Cite web |title=FORMER MINISTERS – FOREIGN AFFAIRS {{!}} KENYA |url=https://mfa.go.ke/former-ministers/ |access-date=2022-11-02 |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Our History – Ministry of Defence – Kenya |url=https://mod.go.ke/history-and-evolution-of-the-ministry-of-defence/#1634448198688-0f368f32-cb98 |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=mod.go.ke}}Duncan Miriri (August 2014), [https://www.reuters.com/article/kenya-security-idAFL6N0QK5CK20140814 Kenyan intelligence boss, under fire over Islamist attacks, quits] Reuters.

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.{{Cite news |last=Kim |first=Minho |date=2024-05-23 |title=The Full Guest List for Biden’s State Dinner With Kenya |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/23/us/politics/full-guest-list-biden-state-dinner-kenya.html |access-date=2024-05-26 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

File:Monica Juma with Mike Pompeo in Washington - 2018 (44174292342).jpg 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.

References

Delegation from Kenya composed of Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary [https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001293410/why-kamba-leaders-are-disappointed-with-cs-monica-juma Dr. Monica Juma], Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, Attorney General Paul Kihara, Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti and the director of Asset Recovery Agency returns Gold to Tanzania
EAC Secretary General Amb Liberat Mfumukeko [https://www.eac.int/press-releases/1563-eac-secretary-general-pays-courtesy-call-on-hon-monica-juma,-cabinet-secretary-of-foreign-affairs,-kenya paid a courtesy call on the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Kenya, Hon. Monica Juma on 13 September 2019]
Kenya will be re-affirming its commitment to global [https://www.kbc.co.ke/kenya-to-reaffirm-its-commitment-to-global-multilateralism/ multilateralism during the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly], at a time when the global community is facing uncertainty on key issues such as climate change.

External links

{{Wikiquote|Monica Juma=https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Monica_Juma}}{{Commons}}

[https://web.archive.org/web/20190318230642/http://www.mfa.go.ke/ Website of the Kenya Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
[http://www.theafricareport.com/East-Horn-Africa/monica-juma-the-brain-behind-kenyas-kenyatta.html Monica Juma, the brain behind Kenya's Kenyatta]
[https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Kenya-Foreign-Affairs-Monica-Juma-interview/2558-4318426-54m3yfz/index.html JUMA: Africans without visa will not be turned away upon arriving in Kenya] As at 24 February 2018.

{{s-ttl|title=Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs|years=2018–2020}}