Ruto Names Kenya’s New Defence Chief

Kenya’s President William Ruto has promoted Lieutenant General Charles Muriu Kahariri to the rank of General and appointed him Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).

He now takes over the post left vacant following the death of Gen Francis Ogolla in a helicopter crash.

Simultaneously, Maj-Gen John Mugaravai Omenda, the current Commander of the Kenya Army, has been elevated to the rank of Lt-Gen and appointed as the Vice Chief of Defence Forces.

In another historic milestone, Maj-Gen Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed has been promoted to the position of Kenya Air Force Commander, making her the first woman to hold such a high-ranking position in the service. She previously made history in 2018 as the first woman to attain the rank of major-general.

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Additional appointments involve the assignment of Maj-Gen Thomas Ng’ang’a, the current commander of the Kenya Navy, as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration and Finance at the National Defence University-Kenya.

He will be succeeded by Maj-Gen Paul Owuor Otieno, who will assume the position of the new navy chief.

Brigadier Peter Nyamu Githinji has been promoted to the rank of Maj-Gen and appointed as the Senior Directing Staff, Air at the National Defence College.

Other promotions include Brigadier Jattani Kampare Gula and Brigadier George Okumu to the rank of major-generals, who have been appointed as managing directors of the Kenya Meat Commission and the Kenya Ordinance Factories Corporation and Food Processing Factory, respectively.

Brigadier Samuel Kipkosgei Korir has been designated as the Deputy Commander of the Kenya Air Force.

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Lt-Gen Jimson Longiro Mutai will continue to serve as the Vice Chancellor of the National Defence University-Kenya, while Lt-Gen David Kimaiyo Tarus remains as the Kenya Army Commander, and Lt-Gen Juma Shee Mwinyikai as the Commandant of the National Defence College.

Before his promotion to the second highest rank in the military, Lt-Gen Kahariri was deputy commandant National Defence College.

Only the Kenya Army Commander is in the rank of a Lt-Gen, with his counterparts commanding their units in the rank of major-general.

Following major reforms led by former Kenya Defence Forces Chief of Staff Daudi Tonje, who served under former President Daniel arap Moi, the Chief of Defence Forces rotates between the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Gen Ogolla was from the Kenya Airforce, while his predecessor Gen Robert Kariuki Kibochi was from the Kenya Army and Gen Samson Mwathethe, before him, was from the Kenya Navy.

The KDF Act stipulates that the Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF), his deputy, and service commanders are to serve a single term of four years or retire upon reaching the mandatory retirement age.

However, the Act provides for the President, upon the recommendation of the National Defence Council, to extend the CDF’s term by a maximum of one year.

The retirement age for a general is 62, for a Lt-Gen it is 61, while Maj-Gen and Brigadiers retire at 59 and 57, respectively.

According to the Act, “The President has the authority to remove, retire, or redeploy the Chief of the Defence Forces, the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces, or any Service Commanders at any time before the end of their term of office.”

Source:East Africa News