NAIROBI — Kenya has not endorsed any candidate in the race to succeed United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei said on Tuesday, denying reports that Nairobi had thrown its weight behind United Arab Emirates diplomat Lana Nusseibeh, Capital FM reported. "Quite to the contrary, Kenya has not expressed support for any candidate at this point," Sing'oei said in a statement posted on X.

Source: Capital FM Africa, Oct 27, 2026

Sing'oei said Nairobi was still assessing the contenders and was closely following the campaigns, including expressions of interest from new candidates, and was confident that a candidate with the capacity to lead the UN at this critical juncture would receive Kenya's support and that of the majority of UN member states, Capital FM and The Brief both reported.

Source: The Brief (DiploBrief), Oct 27, 2026

A day earlier, in Moscow, Mudavadi welcomed Nusseibeh

The denial contradicted an announcement by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi — Sing'oei's boss — who on Monday, October 26, during a visit to Moscow, said Kenya welcomed Nusseibeh's candidature, citing her extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy and her service within the UN system, Capital FM reported. Mudavadi's office said Kenya looked forward to working with the Emirati diplomat to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and Africa, and the remarks were widely reported as a formal endorsement, The Brief reported.

Source: Capital FM Africa, Oct 27, 2026

Sing'oei later told The Eastleigh Voice that Mudavadi's statement was not an official endorsement but an acknowledgement of a new entrant to the race, saying the candidate has strong credentials — a clarification that leaves Kenya's public position as: candidature welcomed, no endorsement given. The Brief noted that Sing'oei's position, contradicting his boss, creates confusion over Nairobi's stance and risks putting Kenya at odds with Abu Dhabi over what now looks like a withdrawal of backing; that is The Brief's assessment, reported here as such.

The candidate and the race

Nusseibeh, 48, was formally nominated by the UAE on October 21, Capital FM reported. She is the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and served as her country's ambassador to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024. She joins a field that includes former Costa Rican vice-president Rebeca Grynspan, International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Rafael Grossi and Guyanese diplomat Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, among others, Capital FM reported, adding that Reuters had reported her entry came amid divisions among the permanent members, with existing candidates struggling to secure the support needed to advance.

Under the UN selection process, the Security Council recommends a single candidate — requiring at least nine affirmative votes in the 15-member council and no veto from China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom or the United States — and the General Assembly then makes the appointment, Capital FM explained. Kenya's position matters in the contest in part because Nairobi hosts the UN headquarters in Africa at Gigiri, as well as the UN Environment Programme and UN-Habitat, Capital FM noted, and the country has consistently called for Security Council reform to improve Africa's representation.