List of ambassadors of the United States to Kenya

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.

Ambassador of the United States to Kenya
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Meg Whitman
since August 5, 2022
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderLaurence C. Vass
as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim
FormationFebruary 20, 1964
WebsiteU.S. Embassy - Nairobi

Ambassadors

U.S. diplomatic terms

Career FSO
After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time.

Political appointee
A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends).

Appointed
The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office.

Presented credentials
The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely.

Terminated mission
Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.

Chargé d'affaires
The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country.

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

Notes
  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. "Godec, Robert F." U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2021-02-06.

See also

References
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