British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan OBE will leave his post at the end of this month after serving two years in Nairobi.
Mr Wigan has been promoted to Director General Strategy and Delivery at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London.
In a statement on Friday, the envoy expressed regret at leaving Kenya, describing his tenure as a period of deepening ties between the two nations.
“I am extremely sorry to be leaving Kenya after a whirlwind two years. The Kenya-UK partnership has gone from strength to strength – whether in trade, investment, technology, innovation or cultural links, benefitting both countries and peoples,” he said.
He highlighted key moments during his tenure, including the historic visit of King Charles III, the signing of the new Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership, joint training of Kenyan marines, and UK-funded infrastructure projects such as Nairobi Railway City.
Mr Wigan also spoke of his travels across most of Kenya’s counties, praising the country’s potential and resilience.
“From taking part in a Maasai elders meeting, to seeing how UK support is helping establish women-led businesses in Wajir, from the tea plantations of Bomet County to the Silicon Savannah, I’ve no doubt that Kenya’s future is bright,” he added.
Concluding his message, the envoy said it had been “incredibly rewarding” to be part of Kenya’s journey, thanking citizens for their hospitality. “Kenya and the UK are going far, together… Asanteni sana na kwaherini.”
Wigan’s ambassadorial assignments began when he was appointed UK Ambassador to DR Congo in 2010, a position he held until 2013.
Immediately thereafter, he was named Ambassador to Somalia, serving in Mogadishu until 2015.
Wigan then returned to London to serve as Director for Africa at the FCO from late 2015 through 2018.
In June 2019, he assumed the role of Ambassador to Israel, where he remained until mid-2023.
Soon afterward, Wigan was appointed British High Commissioner to Kenya, officially taking up his post in August 2023, succeeding Jane Marriott.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Economics from the University of London.
Wigan also pursued further postgraduate studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
