The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has issued a high-stakes clarion call to professionals across the continent, signaling a major recruitment drive that could reshape the region’s bureaucratic landscape.

In a strategic move that underlines Nairobi’s growing influence in continental affairs, the Ministry of Trade has amplified COMESA’s hunt for top-tier talent to fill critical vacancies at its Secretariat in Lusaka, Zambia. The recruitment drive is not merely administrative; it is a calculated effort to inject fresh technocratic blood into the trading bloc as it navigates the complex waters of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) integration. With a strict deadline set for Friday, March 13, 2026, the race is on for Kenya’s elite workforce to stake their claim in the region’s economic engine room.

The Hunt for Technocratic Titans

The vacancies announced are far from routine; they represent the nerve center of COMESA’s operational strategy. The Secretariat is specifically seeking a Director of Gender and Social Affairs, a role demanding a formidable 15 years of experience in gender equality and youth empowerment. This position is pivotal as the bloc seeks to align its trade policies with socially inclusive frameworks—a requirement that has become non-negotiable for international development partners.

Parallel to this is the search for a Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). In an era where digital trade corridors are becoming as vital as physical ones, this role requires a visionary with a Master’s degree in Computer Science and 15 years of sector experience. The successful candidate will be tasked with overhauling the bloc’s digital infrastructure, a critical step in reducing non-tariff barriers that have historically choked intra-African trade.

• Agricultural Leadership: The bloc is also headhunting a Director of Agriculture and Industry. With food security becoming a national security issue across member states, this role requires a strategist capable of harmonizing industrial policy with agricultural reality.
• Financial Integrity: A Chief of Internal Audit and Risk Management is being sought to enforce corporate governance, a move likely aimed at placating donor concerns regarding fiscal transparency within the Secretariat.
• Specialized Expertise: Additional roles for a Telecommunications Expert and a Mining Expert indicate COMESA’s intent to tighten its grip on the extractive and connectivity sectors, two pillars of the region’s future growth.

The Application Gauntlet

The application protocol is rigorous, designed to filter out all but the most dedicated candidates. COMESA has mandated that all applications must be routed through the coordinating ministries of the respective member states—in Kenya’s case, the Ministry of Trade. This state-level vetting process adds a layer of diplomatic endorsement to every application, ensuring that only candidates who can effectively represent their national interests while serving the regional body are forwarded to Lusaka.

Applicants are required to submit comprehensive dossiers, including certified academic and professional certificates, directly to the COMESA website or their local ministries. The deadline of March 13, 2026, is absolute, a testament to the urgency with which the Secretariat intends to fill these voids. For Kenyan professionals, this is more than a job opportunity; it is a chance to draft the economic blueprints that will define the continent’s next decade.

As the deadline approaches, the Ministry of Trade’s involvement suggests that Kenya is keen to increase its quota of nationals at the Secretariat, a strategic play to ensure Nairobi’s interests are well-protected in Lusaka. For the qualified few, the door to the continent is wide open—but only for those ready to walk through it.