British envoy Neil Wigan to leave Kenya for top role in London

British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan.

British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan has announced his exit at the end of August after two years to take up a new role in London.

Wigan arrived in Kenya in August 2023 after a long diplomatic career.

He will become Director General Strategy and Delivery at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

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. He then returned to London to serve as Director for Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from late 2015 through 2018.

In June 2019, Wigan assumed the role of Ambassador to Israel, a position he held until mid-2023.

Soon afterwards, he 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 London School of Economics.

Wigan also pursued postgraduate studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

“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, benefiting both countries and peoples,” said Wigan in a statement on Monday, August 11. 

During his tenure, Wigan noted several milestones, including the historic visit of His Majesty King Charles III, the signing of the new Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership, the training of Kenyan marines by the UK and investments such as Nairobi Railway City.

“I have seen first-hand the incredible potential of Kenya and her people. From taking part in a Maasai elder meeting to witnessing UK support for women-led businesses in Wajir, from the tea plantations of Bomet County to the Silicon Savannah, I have no doubt that Kenya’s future is bright,” Wigan explained.

He added that he had visited most of Kenya’s counties but regretted not visiting them all.

Kenya and the UK “are going far together and it has been incredibly rewarding to be part of that journey,” Wigan said, closing with “Asanteni sana na kwaherini.”

Dr Ed Barnett, Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya, will serve as Chargé until a successor is named in the coming months.