Lt Gen Kahariri Appointed CDF in Changes

The Kenya Defence Forces Vice Chief of Defence Forces (VCDF) Lt Gen Charles Muriu Kahariri was Thursday promoted to the rank of general and named the Chief Defence Forces to replace his boss Gen Francis Ogolla who died in a chopper crash.

Gen Ogolla died in a plane crash on April 18 prompting the latest changes.

Kenya Air Force commander Maj Gen John Omenda was promoted and named the VCDF after being promoted to the rank of Lt Gen.

Maj Gen Fatuma Ahmed was named the commander Kenya Airforce to succeed Maj Gen Omenda. She had been at the National Defence College where she was a senior Directing Staff Air.

This follows a meeting of the Defense Council under chairmanship of defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.

For Gen Kahariri, it was by sheer luck. This is because based on the past trend where all military commanders had to have served as service commanders, he did not. He never served as a service commander. He once served as the deputy commander Kenya Navy and later promoted and posted to defence college.

Brig Paul Otieno, Managing Director for the Kenya Shipyards Limited was named the commander Kenya Navy replacing Maj Gen Thomas Nganga who had served at the position for a month.

Maj Gen Nganga was moved to the National Defence University and appointed the Vice Chancellor administration and finance.

Brig Peter Githinji was promoted to Maj Gen and named senior directing staff at the National Defence College. Brig George Okumu was promoted to Maj Gen and named the Managing Director Kenya Ordinance Factories Corporation and Food Processing Factory while Brig Samuel Kipkorir was appointed the deputy commander Kenya Air Force.

President William Ruto was briefed on the minutes of the Defence Council on their deliberations. He later agreed with the deliberations and announced the changes.

Going by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) traditions, for one to be appointed the CDF he or she must have served as a service commander. But that did not apply on Gen Kahariri.

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Act says a 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, a Major-General at 59 and a Brigadier at 57 years.

However, the law puts a disclaimer on the General that: “The maximum retirement age shall be amended from time to time through legislation on the recommendation by the Defence Council.”

Under the rules introduced by retired Chief of General Staff Gen Tonje — adopted and known as the Tonje Rules — the position of the CDF is rotated among the three services.

These are Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy.

Gen Ogolla was from the Kenya Airforce and his predecessor, Gen Robert Kibochi, was from the Kenya Army. This meant that the next CDF had to come from the Kenya Navy.