The term iron fist in a velvet glove was probably coined to describe Amina Mohamed. Tall, elegant, effortlessly graceful with her signature scarf, she exudes confidence, delivered with a smile that never fails to light up her eyes.
This daughter of Kakamega grew up in a large family with eight other siblings. Amina’s father never made distinction between his five sons and four daughters when it came to education and Amina pursued her passion of wanting to be a lawyer after her time at Butere Girls’. Her mother was a keen supporter of her studies, often popping in to school to make sure she was studying hard. Amina took a brave step in the pursuit of passion when she took up a scholarship to study law in the former Soviet Union. As a student at the University of Kiev the first rule was learn Russian. Known to be notoriously complex it would be her fifth language after Somali, English, Swahili and Luhya. Most foreign students would take a year to learn Russian before enrolling in their chosen classes. Amina did it in half the time proving that anything she puts her mind to she gets done.
After graduating with a Masters in Law in 1985 she joined the Ministry of Local Government Affairs working on city by-laws. It was not the exciting legal practice she had once dreamed of, but like many accidents of life that first government job set her on a path that would see her rise to heights she had never imagined. Within six months she was transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where her unrelenting work ethic and sharp legal mind saw her rise through the ranks of government to the position of Ambassador/Permanent Representative for Kenya to the UN in Geneva a mere fifteen years later. An unapologetic Pan Africanist Amina stood for election for the position of Chair of the UN related International Organization of Migration in 2002 when Kenya was the sole African country on the roster. She won the election and became the first woman and first African to hold the position. Her first order of business? Advocate for more African countries to be included as member states. This was followed by another globally elected position – that of Chairman of the General Council of the World Trade Organisation between 2005 and 2006. Once again she was the first woman globally in the Chair’s chair!
A woman of sharp eloquence and strategic diplomacy, her next step was serving back at home as Permanent Secretary for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs where she supervised the drafting, negotiation and promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya. Amina’s resumé is an awe-inspiring list of achievements that would undoubtedly make her mother burst with pride. But when asked what her most important job is Amina is unequivocal – being a mother to her seven children. A woman whose heart is as big as her ambition, Amina and her husband have five adopted children and two biological ones. Juggling parenthood and service to country is all in a day’s work for this high achieving lady. She served as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2013 through to 2017, and her staff would tell you that above all she is fiercely loyal to her team and those that are close to her, always intent on helping young Kenyans learn the ropes, allowing them to move strategically through global arenas – a stalwart of grace and steely strength.
We applaud Ambassador Amina Mohamed for her passion for country, family and colleagues that provides the tireless dedication that protects and promotes Kenya’s interests both at a local and global scale.