Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing’Oei recently sparked controversy after posting an AI-generated deepfake clip on his official X account, falsely showing a CNN journalist discussing Kenya’s role in Sudan’s peace diplomacy.
He later apologized after facing backlash from netizens on X, who accused him of misleading the public by using AI-generated media to push a government narrative.
Korir Sing’Oei was appointed Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs in 2022 after President William Ruto took office.
As Deputy President, Ruto relied on Korir Sing’Oei as his Senior Legal Advisor, where he guided intergovernmental relations and oversaw international development partnerships, emphasizing open governance and the rule of law.
Korir is a legal and policy expert specializing in human rights law, with a focus on minority and indigenous rights, decentralization, land and resource governance, environmental and climate issues, and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
Education
The lawyer is a former student of Moi High School Kabarak and later pursued Law and Global Public Policy at the University of Nairobi.
He later joined the University of Minnesota Law School, where he earned a Master of Laws in International Law and Legal Studies.
He holds a Master of Laws in Comparative Human Rights Systems degree from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
He later pursued a PhD in Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Law at the University of Cape Town.
Academic Achievements
Sing’Oei was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Minnesota School of Public Affairs in 2007/08.
Korir is an accomplished author whose scholarly work has been featured in reputable international legal journals and edited volumes.
His most recent publication, Empowering Paradigms in African Property Law, was released in December 2013 by the African Institute of South Africa (AISA).
Career
Dr. Sing’Oei is an expert in international law and leads Kenya’s Open Government Partnership initiative.
He formerly held roles as Litigation Director at Katiba Institute, Conflict and Rule of Law Specialist at USAID, and Founding Director of the Centre for Minority Rights Development (CEMIRIDE).
He has also served as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Justice and International Law in Washington, D.C.
Sing’Oei is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and has studied Law and Global Public Policy at Tilburg Law School in the Netherlands.
He was part of the legal team that represented Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC) when the then Deputy President faced charges of crimes against humanity.
Sing’Oei is a member of several professional organizations, including the Law Society of Kenya, the International Commission of Jurists – Africa Section, the American Society of International Law, and the American Bar Association as an associate member.
