Nairobi, June 9 -- In recent months, public debate in Kenya has turned toward Host Country Agreements (HCAs) that the government has with international organisations and multilateral institutions. The conversation has been lively, as it should be. But it has also, at times, been clouded by misinformation, disinformation and mischaracterisation.

At the core of the debate is the perception that HCAs erode Kenya's sovereignty. This is a misunderstanding. If anything, HCAs are an expression of sovereignty.

I spent most of my civil service years working within Kenya's Foreign Affairs system. I have sat in negotiation rooms and reviewed many international agreements, including HCAs, on behalf of our country.

HCAs are not new, unusual, or uni...