The Consul General

Standing in front of the Public Service Commission recruiters at University of Nairobi in 1969 Catherine Kimura stated that she wanted to be a D.O. The response? Outright laughter from the all-male panel. Looking at the diminutive female undergraduate they couldn’t imagine a more absurd posting. Although the government at that time would automatically absorb all graduates Catherine left the interview without any job. Shortly after graduation she received an interview invitation from the Secretary of the Public Service who had chaired the panel. He shared that he admired her spunk, but frankly could not see her commanding a baraza, so instead he made the French and Economics graduate an offer of a position with the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. She took it and in 1970 became an Assistant Tourist Officer.

Catherine had found her niche and in 1971 she was sponsored by the government to pursue a postgraduate diploma in International Relations at the Sorbonne in Paris. With her work experience and new credentials she was deployed in 1975 by the Ministry to set up an office in Los Angeles to promote Kenya as a tourist destination. Initially meant as a short-term assignment Catherine built something out of nothing and at age 29 was appointed Director of the Kenya Tourist Office and Consul General for Kenya in Los Angeles; in effect making her the first woman to represent the Republic of Kenya on foreign soil. For the next four years the home of this Kaaga Girls alumna and her family became the first stop for many Kenyan students, businessmen and emigrants seeking to navigate the US. There was always some chapati, “sweetcorn githeri” and nyama choma to be had over the weekend for those feeling nostalgic about Kenya.

After returning home in 1979 Catherine went on to have a distinguished public service career spanning over three decades where she was known for signing her letters CN Kimura (Mrs) lest anyone think the senior office holder was a Charles or a Colin. A lifelong advocate of Kenya First, Catherine retired from government service in 2006 from her position as Kenya’s Investment Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, having stewarded the government’s divestiture and privatisation strategy that led to the initial public offering of companies such as Kengen, Safaricom and KCB.

While the petite lady may not have been considered worthy to chair barazas, the world became her stage! Hongera Catherine Kimura for unwavering service to country!