President Ruto Plays By The Rules, Appoints Gen Kahariri As CDF

NAIROBI Kenya May 2 -President William Ruto has promoted Lieutenant-General Charles Muriu Kahariri to the rank of General and appointed him the Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF) in line with the Tonje Rules and military regard for seniority.

The President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, also promoted Major General John Mugaravai Omenda to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed him the Vice CDF.

Until his appointment, Lt. Gen Omenda was the Kenya Air Force commander.

General Kahariri’s appointment comes two weeks after Ogolla died in a helicopter crash alongside nine other military officers at the Kaben-Cheptulel border between Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties.

The President -acting under Section 9(2) of the Kenya Defence Forces Act that mandates him to appoint the CDF, the VCDF, and the three Service Commanders -also appointed the first-ever woman, Maj- Gen Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed, to serve as a Service Commander.

Maj-Gen Fatuma, the first female Air Force Commander, replaces Lt. Gen Omenda and will be deputised by Brigadier Samuel Kosgei Kipkorir.

Maj-Gen Fatuma, who joined the military in 1983, first grabbed the headlines in August 2015 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta promoted her to the rank of Brigadier, again, becoming the first woman to attain that rank in the military.

Maj-Gen Fatuma who once served as a Battalion Second in Command (BN 2IC) Staff Officer II Audit Personnel and Records, is a graduate of the National Defence College holds a Diploma in Management from Strathmore University College.

Until her latest appointment, she has been serving as the Assistant Chief of the Defence Forces in charge of personnel and logistics.

In the changes, President Ruto also named Maj-Gen Paul Owuor Otieno as the new Kenya Navy commander.

“These changes have been made across the Kenya Defence Forces in line with the advice of the Defence Council,” the statement signed by the Assistant Director of Public Communications at the Ministry of Defence Grace Linnet Sitawa Mwanja noted.

The promotions, postings and appointments were done on the advice of the Defence Council Chaired by Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale after President Ruto upheld the Council’s recommendations.

Maj-Gen Thomas Ng’ang’a was posted to the National Defence College and appointed the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration and Finance while Brigadier Peter Nyamu Githinji has been promoted to the rank of Maj-Gen and appointed Senior Directing Staff, Air at National Defence College.

Also promoted to the rank of Maj-Gen is Jattani Kampare Gulla who has been appointed the Managing Director Kenya Meat Commission (KMC).

Brig. George Okumu has also been promoted to the rank of Maj-Gen and appointed the Managing Director Kenya Ordinance Factories Corporation and Food Processing Factory.

Gen Kahariri becomes the fifth CDF after taking over following the death of General Ogolla who was the fourth CDF who replaced General Robert Kariuki Kibochi who served for three years.

Kibochi had succeeded Gen Samson Jefwa Mwathethe who served for five years. Gen Julius Waweru Karangi, was the first CDF who was appointed in July 2021 and served for almost four years.

Gen Daudi Tonje who served between 1996 and 2000 introduced the rules that guide the promotion, deployment and retirement of senior military officers.

The rules, popularly referred to as the ‘Tonje Rules’, provide a very clear career path within the military. They are however not necessarily binding nor formalised or encoded in any statute, legislation or law.

The position of CDF rotates among the three services –Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, and Kenya Air Force.  Gen Tonje retired, Gen. Kibwana (Kenya Navy) took over and later handed over to Kenya Army’s Gen Kianga. Gen Kianga handed over to Gen Karangi (Kenya Air Force). Other CDF’s that followed were Gen Mwathethe (Kenya Navy), Gen Kibochi (Kenya Army), Gen Ogolla (Kenya Air Force) and now Navy’s Gen Kahariri.

The past Chiefs of General Staff (CGS) were Major General Robert Penfold (1966-1969), Maj-Gen Joseph Musyimi Ndolo (1969-1971), Gen Jackson Mulinge (1971-1986), Gen Mohamud Haji Mohamed (1986-1996), Gen Daudi Tonje (1996-2000), Gen Joseph Kibwana (2000-2005), and Jeremiah Kianga (2005-2011).