Kem Monovithya named Cambodian PM's special envoy

Kem Monovithya, the daughter of Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha, was appointed a special envoy to Prime Minister Hun Manet on Monday.

A royal decree said she was appointed at Hun Manet's request and would have a rank equal to a government minister.

Her father, Kem Sokha, was sentenced to 27 years in prison in 2023 after being convicted of trying to topple the government of Hun Sen, Hun Manet's father. Kem Sokha was pardoned in May but remains banned from running for office.

Political analyst Ou Virak told AFP the appointment would further weaken Cambodia's opposition. He said Kem Sokha had been “neutralised” and that the move would make him appear too close to the ruling party.

Hun Sen stepped down as prime minister in 2023 and handed the office to Hun Manet, his eldest son, but remains highly influential.

Cambodia's ruling family has a history of offering government posts to opposition politicians and activists. Rights groups have long accused Cambodian authorities of using legal cases to silence opposition voices and political dissent.