Lady Scotland faces challenge for Commonwealth lead | Lady Scotland

Lady Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary General and longtime target of the Conservative government, is being challenged for her post by Kenya’s Defense Minister with the backing of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Kenyan Defense Minister Monica Juma was appointed for the post on Tuesday in a surprise move, which came despite no date yet set for the next Commonwealth summit – the likely backdrop for any attempt to force Scotland. Some Scottish supporters suspect Kenya was encouraged by Britain – with which it has close ties – to take up the challenge.

The UK Foreign Office has reportedly lost confidence in her leadership after a series of allegations regarding her leadership style and spending in her office, including allegations she spent £ 338,000 to renovate her apartment thanks and favor to Mayfair .

Kenya believes the vote could take place as early as October, or next March.

Juma said, “The reason we have this nomination is because I firmly believe that I am a visionary, strategic, innovative and transformative leader with a successful public service experience, proven commitment and integrity that I have developed. in the service of government, in research and policy institutions, in private organizations at national, regional and international levels.

Kenyatta praised Juma’s diplomatic experience, predicting that she would be a consensus candidate.

Scotland served as Attorney General during a Labor government and is QC. She is the Sixth Secretary General of the Commonwealth and has been in office since April 1, 2016.

The incumbents can typically serve two four-year terms, however, his appointment was delayed when the 2020 Commonwealth summit in Kigali, Rwanda was postponed twice. If she decides not to fight to stay in power, there remains the possibility that Caribbean countries will seek an alternative candidate, arguing that it is their region’s turn to lead the organization.

Britain has rejected an attempt to automatically rename Scotland in 2020, saying a private survey of Commonwealth countries has shown it does not have majority support, and adding that it could be faced with a challenge.

The intergovernmental organization comprises more than 50 countries, many of them former British colonies, encompassing almost a third of the world’s population.