Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei issued a statement on Tuesday, October 27, denying that Kenya had endorsed the United Arab Emirates’ candidate for the United Nations secretary‑general post.

The clarification responded to a report by journalist Mwangi Maina, which claimed Nairobi had backed Emirati diplomat Lana Zaki Nusseibeh after President William Ruto’s meeting with Abu Dhabi’s top diplomat in the capital.

Sing'oei emphasized three points: Kenya has not taken a side, it continues to monitor the campaigns and any new entrants, and any eventual support will go to a candidate who can lead the UN and secure broad member‑state backing.

The statement did not name any specific candidate, nor did it confirm or deny the reported meeting between President Ruto and the Emirati diplomat.

Earlier, the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary had said that Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi welcomed Nusseibeh’s candidature on Kenya’s behalf, without committing to a vote.

Nusseibeh, the UAE’s former Permanent Representative to the UN, entered the race on October 21, 2026, after taking leave from her government role.

The UN secretary‑general selection process, which began formally on November 25, 2025, involves Security Council straw polls; the latest poll on October 16 showed no candidate had unanimous support from the five permanent members.