Monica Juma | |
|---|---|
| Cabinet Secretary for Defence | |
| Assumed office 14 January 2020 | |
| President | Uhuru Kenyatta |
| Preceded by | Raychelle Omamo |
| 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 2 May 2016 – 5 February 2018 | |
| Appointed by | Uhuru Kenyatta |
| Succeeded by | Kamau Macharia |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1964 (age 56–57) Kenya |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Nairobi (BA, MA) University of Oxford (DPhil) |
Dr. Monica Juma (born 1963) is a Kenyan diplomat who currently serves as Kenya's Defense Cabinet Secretary. She previously served as the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Kenya.[1]
Before assuming this position in February 2018, Juma served as the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) between January 2016 and February 2018.
She served as the Principal Secretary in the Department of Interior, Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government where she led a team that drove reforms and transformation of the national security policy, architecture and operations within the National Administration, the Immigration and Registration of Persons departments, as well as the National Police Service. She also initiated work that led to the development of Kenya's strategy on Counter-Terrorism and Violent Extremism and creation of multi-agencies approach in tackling security challenges. Collectively, these measures reduced Kenya's vulnerability to terrorist attacks, remarkably and restored security across the country. In addition, the efforts laid a sound foundation for the continuing improvement of public safety and security.
Prior to serving in the Ministry of Interior, Juma served as the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Defence where she was instrumental in strengthening the business process systems within the ministry, clarifying the strategic orientation and bolstering the professional stature of the Kenya Defence Forces.
Juma studied at University of Nairobi for her BA and MA and University of Oxford, Certificate in Refugee Studies and where she also attained her Doctorate in Philosophy. 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 (IGAD) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), based out of Addis Ababa.[2] 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.[2][3]
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 DC in the United States of America. She has written and published extensively on the subjects of her specialization.[2]
