Julius Kiema Kilonzo

Ambassador Julius Kiema Kilonzo (born 13 April 1966) is a prominent Kenyan politician and diplomat who holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s in Armed Conflict and Peace Studies from the University of Nairobi. He began his political career by serving two consecutive terms as a Member of Parliament for the Mutito Constituency, currently known as Kitui East, from 2002 to 2012. Following his tenure in parliament, Kilonzo transitioned into international diplomacy, serving as Kenya’s inaugural ambassador to Turkey from 2014 to 2018 before being redeployed as the High Commissioner to Uganda from September 2018 until early 2022. He later stepped down from his diplomatic posting to enter local politics, launching an active bid for the Kitui County gubernatorial race.