UK envoy ends tour of duty

Christian Turner at an event at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi on October 6, 2014. FILE PHOTO | DIANA NGILA |

What you need to know:

  • Christian Turner completes his three year term.

The British High Commissioner to Kenya Christian Turner has ended his tour of duty after three years in Nairobi.

On Saturday, Mr Stephen Burns, the High Commission’s head of communications told the Sunday Nation that Dr Turner had completed his mandate and is awaiting his replacement.

“He has completed his three year term,” said Mr Burns.

Dr Turner’s term will be remembered as one during which relationship between Kenya and the United Kingdom sometimes took a downward spiral particularly over travel advisories on Kenya.

President Uhuru Kenyatta also threatened to close a military training camp in Nanyuki used by British Soldiers. But the relationship has improved in recent months, including the reversing of a UK advisory against visiting parts of the Kenyan Coast.

In a recent interview with the Sunday Nation, Dr Turner denied that UK had been eclipsed by countries such as the US in terms of its closeness to Kenya.

“This is a multi-polar world where all countries benefit from a rise in foreign investment. We are all interlinked. There is no binary choice for Kenya to make between the US and UK, nor for that matter between East and West. Kenya should make investment decisions based on what is most in Kenya’s interests,” he said.

Prior to taking up his current position in May 2012, Mr Turner who succeeded Mr Robert Macaire, was Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.