President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday made several key changes in the Ministry of Defence, including promoting Major-General Francis Ogolla to the rank of Lieutenant-General.
President Kenyatta subsequently appointed Lt-Gen Ogolla the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces (VCDF), succeeding Lt-Gen Franklin Mghalu, whose term has ended after 40 years of service. Lt-Gen Mghalu previously served as the Kenya Navy commander.
Lt-Gen Ogolla joined the Kenya Air Force in 1984 and is trained as a fighter pilot.
He previously served as the Kenya Air Force commander and is now the second-in-command in Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) ranks, after General Robert Kibochi.
KDF moved into Southern Somalia in 2011 to combat al-Shabaab militants after a series of kidnappings of tourists along the border.
A month later, the Kenyan government agreed to re-hat its forces under Amisom. Al-Shabaab militants have since been staging attacks in Kenya, targeting both civilians and police.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director-General Mohamed Badi during an interview in his office on December 18, 2020.
In the Kenya Army, Major-General Albert Kendagor was promoted to lieutenant-general and appointed Force Commander designate of the African Union Mission to Somalia (Amisom).
Mr Kenyatta also promoted Major-General Jonah Mwangi to lieutenant-general and appointed him vice-chancellor of the National Defence University-Kenya.
He named Major-General William Shume the Kenya Army’s deputy commander.
In the Kenya Air Force, President Kenyatta promoted Major-General Mohamed Badi of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) to the rank of lieutenant-general and said he will remain in charge of the NMS.
Brigadier John Omenda was promoted to the rank of Maj-Gen and appointed him commander of the Kenya Air Force. Maj-Gen Omenda will be deputised by Brigadier Peter N. Githinji who was appointed deputy commander of the Kenya Air Force.
Other promotions
The Head of State also upheld recommendations of the Defence Council chaired by Defence Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma, for various promotions, posting and appointments of KDF officers.
The council known as the Number One Board decides changes in the appointment and promotion of senior military, as well as possible retirement or extension of contracts of the Kenya Army, Kenya Navy and Kenya Air Force commanders.
It met and made changes which it then presented to President Kenyatta in a briefing.
Brig Stephen Otieno was promoted to the rank of maj-gen and named general officer commanding border security command while Colonel Peter Chelimo was promoted to brigadier and appointed Manda base commander, Kenya Navy.
Colonel Zipporah Kioko, who has been serving as the Kenya Defence Forces spokesperson.
The new KDF spokesperson is Colonel Esther Wanjiku, who replaces Colonel Zipporah Kioko who is going for further studies at the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK.
Maj-Gen Fatuma Ahmed was posted to the Kenya Military Academy as the commandant while Maj-Gen Solomon Manambo was posted to National Security Industries as director general.
Maj-Gen Peter Njiru was appointed commandant of the Defence Staff College while Maj-Gen Martin Ong’oyi was posted to the Kenya Ordinance Factories as managing director.
Maj-Gen Charles Kahariri was appointed commandant of the National Defence College while Maj-Gen Rashid Elmi was posted to the National Defence University and Brig Ken Didi the deputy chief of legal at the college.
Terms of service
The KDF Act says a Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), his deputy and service commanders shall serve a single term of four years or retire upon attaining the mandatory retirement age.
But the Act also says the President may, on the recommendation of the National Defence Council, extend the CDF’s term for a period not exceeding one year in times of war or emergencies like political uncertainty.
A General is supposed to retire at 62, a Lieutenant-General at 61 and a major-general at 59 and a brigadier at 57 years.
However, the law puts a disclaimer on the General, stating: “The maximum retirement age shall be amended from time to time through legislation on the recommendation by the Defence Council.”
American Ambassador Prudence Bushnell (left) converses with Brigadier-General Frank J. Toney, who was then heading American troops in a joint military exercise with East African armies, Kenya’s then Chief of General Staff Daudi Tonje (centre) and Lieutenant-General Daniel Opande, the then deputy Chief of General Staff, in Lodwar, on June 18, 1998.
Rules by Retired Chief of General Staff Gen Daudi Tonje have steered appointments in KDF.
Under the Tonje rules, the position of the CDF is rotated among the three services – Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy.
For the new teams and the military, which has traditionally kept off Kenyan politics, the 2022 General Election will be a major test for the new team and the military,
The CDF will oversee the transition from the Kenyatta presidency in an election that has elicited sharp divisions between supporters of Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga. BY DAILY NATION