The Universal Postal Union (UPU), a specialised agency of the United Nations will hold its 25th Congress in Doha, Qatar from 24th September to 15th October 2012. Every four years, the Congress brings together plenipotentiaries from 192 member countries to develop plans to govern international postal business for the next four years. The Congress, which will be attended by thousands of participants, will set standards and regulations so as to improve mail, parcels, financial and electronic services. The Congress will avail participants the opportunity to discuss global issues such as environment, trade and security. Heads of governments, ministers responsible for posts, other United Nations bodies and stakeholders will be in attendance. Such is the importance of this meeting.
Kenya lost the opportunity to host the 24th UPU Congress in August 2008 due to the post elections violence in which over 1,000 people died while about 600,000 were displaced. Hosting the Congress would have been a historic moment for Africa, since the first and only Congress was held in Cairo, Egypt in 1934. Following the violence in Kenya, a last minute decision was made to hold the Congress in Geneva, Switzerland due to it's excellent infrastructure and proximity to the UPU headquarters in Berne.
Africa had in 2004 lost another chance to host the 23rd UPU Congress scheduled to be held in Abidjan, Cote de'Ivore due to the volatile political situation in the country. The 23rd Congress was later held in Bucharest, Romania. The 1st Congress was held in Berne, Switzerland in 1874.
Having lost the chance to host the Congress, Kenya was given the chance to chair the session and host the mid-term Strategy Conference. The tradition is that the host country chairs the Congress sessions and subsequent meetings of the Council of Administration (CA) until the next Congress. The Government designated its ambassador to United Arab Emirates, Amb. Bishar A. Hussein, a career postman and the first Postmaster General of Postal Corporation of Kenya as the Chairman of the Congress. Amb. Hussein successfully chaired the 24th Congress in Geneva and subsequent Strategy Conference held in Nairobi in September 2010.
It was during this conference that Kenya announced its candidature in Amb. Hussein for the post of Director General of the UPU come 2012. The holder of the post is elected by member countries at the Congress every four years. It is the highest position in the postal arm of the United Nations. Amb. Hussein's candidature was approved by the Kenyan Cabinet and the AU Heads of States Summit. Since then, Kenya has been soliciting support from other countries and regional postal bodies in readiness for the Doha Congress. If elected, Amb. Hussein will be the first African to hold the position since the inception of UPU in 1874. But will Kenya make it? So far, Kenya stands a very good chance of doing so. What then stands in its way?
Apparently, Kenya in the name of Mrs. Rodha Masaviru, a postal expert, holds the post of Secretary General (SG) of the Arusha, Tanzania based Pan African Postal Union (PAPU), the postal arm of African Union (AU). The holder of the post SG is elected every four years, by the 43 member African countries. Coincidentally, the post falls vacant in July 2012, a few months before that of the UPU DG and Mrs. Masaviru will be completing her first term as SG. She had previously served as assistant SG following her election in 2003.
The tradition of these postal bodies has been to trade-off posts between anglophone and francophone. Unfortunately, the post of Assistant SG has not been filled since 2008, which would have gone to a francophone country. It is noteworthy that Central and South African countries have not held any of these posts and are eager to do so. These factors may work against her, if she were to contest for the SG post considering that she won the 2008 election by six votes. Indications are that there is a covert plan to present her for re-election in July 2012 and this is causing anxiety to interested countries.
Kenya must avoid sending mixed signals and focus on delivering the DG post. For Kenya to vie for the two posts will be a slap in the face of other African Heads of States who have supported Kenya's candidature. This is the closest an African has come to winning the position. The Government should issue a communique on the matter and reiterate its stand, which otherwise could jeopardise Kenya's chances of winning the posts. Unfortunately, time is running out.
The tradition of these postal bodies has been to trade-off posts between anglophone and francophone. Unfortunately, the post of Assistant SG has not been filled since 2008, which would have gone to a francophone country. It is noteworthy that Central and South African countries have not held any of these posts and are eager to do so. These factors may work against her, if she were to contest for the SG post considering that she won the 2008 election by six votes. Indications are that there is a covert plan to present her for re-election in July 2012 and this is causing anxiety to interested countries.
Kenya must avoid sending mixed signals and focus on delivering the DG post. For Kenya to vie for the two posts will be a slap in the face of other African Heads of States who have supported Kenya's candidature. This is the closest an African has come to winning the position. The Government should issue a communique on the matter and reiterate its stand, which otherwise could jeopardise Kenya's chances of winning the posts. Unfortunately, time is running out.
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