Ambassador
Lazarus O. Amayo, Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya, to the United States has held several senior public positions before his current assignment, among them; Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations (May, 2018- June,2020), High Commissioner of Kenya to the United Kingdom (August, 2014 – April, 2018), the Permanent Representative of Kenya to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Commonwealth Organization. He was the Director for Europe and Commonwealth Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (June, 2010 – July, 2014), High Commissioner of Kenya to Zambia and Malawi and Permanent Representative to COMESA (July, 2006 – June, 2010), Ag. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (March, 2006 to July, 2006); Director of Administration (May 2005 – March 2006) and Head of International Organizations and Conferences (Multilateral Relations) Division in the same Ministry (April, 2004 – April, 2005). He was also Kenya’s High Commissioner to India with concurrent accreditation to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Singapore from February,1999 – April, 2004.
Prior to diplomatic service, Ambassador Amayo served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Managing Director of Catering Levy Trustees (a parastatal in Kenya) from 1993-1997. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Karachuonyo Constituency in the Kenya National Assembly (6th Parliament 1989 – 1992) and appointed an Assistant Minister, Ministry of Education during the same period. He also worked as a Personnel Officer, Senior Personnel Officer and Principal Personnel Officer with the Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (1981 – 1989). He began his working career with the Teacher’s Service Commission (TSC) as a Secondary School Teacher at Ogande Girls High School in 1979.
He holds a Master of Arts degree (MA) in Political Science from the University of Delhi and of Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from Spicer Memorial College in India. He trained in Management and International Relations in Kenya, the UK and India.
He is also a member of the Kenya Institute of Management (MKIM), Member of the Institute of Human Resource and Member of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). Ambassador Amayo has widely traveled and represented Kenya in many regional and international conferences. He is married and has three children. He enjoys reading, tennis and chess.
