List of ambassadors of the United States to Kenya explained

Post:Ambassador
Body:the United States to Kenya
Insignia:US Department of State official seal.svg
Insigniasize:120px
Insigniacaption:Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent:Meg Whitman
Incumbentsince:August 5, 2022
Nominator:The President of the United States
Appointer:The President
Inaugural:Laurence C. Vass
as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim
Formation:February 20, 1964
Website:U.S. Embassy - Nairobi

After Kenya's independence on December 12, 1963, the United States immediately recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The embassy in Nairobi was established December 12, 1963—Kenya's independence day—with Laurence C. Vass as chargé d’affaires ad interim pending the appointment of an ambassador.

Ambassadors

!Name!Title!Appointed!Presented credentials!Terminated mission!Notes
William Attwood – Political appointee[1] Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryFebruary 20, 1964March 2, 1964May 1, 1966
Glenn W. Ferguson – Political appointeeSeptember 16, 1966November 4, 1966April 7, 1969
Robinson McIlvaine – Career FSOSeptember 15, 1969September 30, 1969April 4, 1973
Anthony D. Marshall – Political appointee[2] December 19, 1973January 22, 1974April 26, 1977
Wilbert John LeMelle – Political appointeeMay 11, 1977August 10, 1977June 28, 1980
William Caldwell Harrop – Career FSOMay 23, 1980July 10, 1980September 1, 1983
Gerald Eustis Thomas – Political appointeeOctober 7, 1983November 9, 1983September 29, 1986[3]
Elinor Greer Constable – Career FSOOctober 16, 1986December 11, 1986September 29, 1989
Smith Hempstone, Jr. – Political appointeeNovember 6, 1989December 7, 1989February 26, 1993
Aurelia E. Brazeal – Career FSOAugust 9, 1993September 21, 1993September 11, 1996
Prudence Bushnell – Career FSO[4] June 11, 1996September 2, 1996May 22, 1999
Johnnie Carson – Career FSOJuly 7, 1999September 23, 1999July 6, 2003
William M. Bellamy – Career FSOApril 16, 2003September 9, 2003June 25, 2006
Michael Ranneberger – Career FSOJuly 5, 2006August 23, 2006May 4, 2011
Scott Gration – Political appointeeApril 18, 2011May 18, 2011July 23, 2012
Robert F. Godec – Career FSOJanuary 16, 2013[5] February 15, 2013February 1, 2019
Kyle McCarter – Political appointeeJanuary 2, 2019March 12, 2019January 20, 2021
Meg Whitman – Political appointeeDecember 8, 2021 August 5, 2022Incumbent

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Attwood was reaccredited when Kenya became a republic and presented new credentials January 28, 1965.
  2. From 1976 to 1982 the ambassador to Kenya was also accredited to the Seychelles while resident at Nairobi. See U.S. Ambassador to Seychelles.
  3. https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/thomas-gerald-eustis
  4. The bombing of the Nairobi embassy on August 7, 1998 occurred during Bushnell’s term as ambassador to Kenya. She was injured in the attack but survived to direct rescue efforts.
  5. Web site: Godec, Robert F.. 2021-02-06. U.S. Department of State.