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Manoah Esipisu is a distinguished Kenyan diplomat and public servant with a career spanning several decades.
Until May 2024, he served as Kenya's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, a position he has held since March 2018.
His appointment to this role came after a successful tenure as the State House Spokesperson and Head of the Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU) where he served from 2013 to 2018 under President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Manoah has had a successful career in communication and diplomacy, which has seen him work for top global organisations.
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Manoah Esipisu's education
An alumnus of St. Peter's Mumias High School, Manoah pursued journalism at the University of Nairobi which saw him venture into the world of communications.
At St. Peter's Mumias, Esipisu would develop handwritten reports, which he would pin on the school notice board for other students to see.
During his time at the University of Nairobi, he approached the Standard Media Group Editor in Chief for an opportunity he was given, he then worked as a sports writer while still a full-time student.
Joining Reuters
After concluding his education, Esipisu joined the international news outlet Reuters, where he shifted to financial journalism.
From doing sports to breaking numbers, Esipisu admitted that it was no easy walk and that it took him some time to adapt.
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He spent over ten years at the company, during which he also had a hand in seeing other Kenyan journalists such as Jeff Koinange join the international outlet, Koinange worked for the agency covering the African continent between 1995 and 2001.
Joining the Commonwealth Secretariat
After leaving Reuters, Esipisu transitioned to a spokesperson role at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, where he provided strategic communication advice to the Secretary-General and senior leadership of the organisation.
Joining the AFDB
Esipisu would later leave and move to the African Development Bank, where he was the public affairs advisor to the bank's president and also served as a spokesperson.
It is this post that served as Esipisu's launchpad for a career in government and eventually diplomacy.
Appointment as State House Spokesperson & diplomacy
In 2013, Esipisu was appointed State House spokesperson, a role he held until 2018 when he was posted as the United Kingdom High Commissioner to Kenya, a role he was supposed to hold until 2022.
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However, President William Ruto, who took office in August 2022, asked him to extend his service until May 2024.
During his time as Kenya's High Commissioner, Esipisu took part in several diplomatic duties, including negotiating the post-Brexit trade agreement between Kenya and the U.K.
Esipisu further spearheaded the development of mobile consular services, which eased the process of accessing services for Kenyans living in the U.K.
In remarks marking his final day in office, Esipisu said he worked with amazing staff members and had great moments as High Commissioner.
"Today I bid farewell to the famous No. 45 Portland Place, London. Great staff. Great moments. A fine innings. Thanks to President William Ruto for retaining me in the post and grateful for the opportunity to serve the government in diplomacy and communication," Esipisu said.
Esipisu was honoured as the Diplomat of the Year 2024 from Africa by the University of Manchester.
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He was honoured alongside nine other influential diplomats, all based in the United Kingdom.
According to Esipisu, the award underscored recognition of Kenya's work in building strong bilateral relations and leadership on global issues. He will be replaced by Catherine Kirumba Karemu.
Esipisu's family
Outside of diplomatic service, Esipisu is a family man married to Waithiegeni Kanguru-Esipisu. Esipisu has been residing with his family in the U.K. Over the last five years he has served as High Commissioner.