The businesswoman and politician is quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying that she looks forward to working with the Kenyan government if confirmed by the senate.

Ms Whitman vied in the elections for governor of California in 2010 on a Republican ticket but lost to Democrat Jerry Brown.

She has a vast experience in business having been the former chief executive of Hewlett Packard and sits in the General Motors and Procter & Gamble boards.