The military has announced changes among some of their top command which saw the Vice Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen Jonah Mwangi retire.
Army Commander Lt Gen Peter Mbogo Njiru also left the service after attaining his retirement age.
The new VCDF is Maj Gen Charles Muriu Kahariri who was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General while Maj Gen David Kimaiyo Tarus will take over as Commander Kenya Army.
Kenya Navy Commander Maj Gen Jim Mutai was promoted to the rank of Lt Gen moved to the Defence College and named Vice Chancellor National Defence College.
The changes were announced following a meeting of the top decision-making organ.
The Defence Council also known as Board One met Thursday under the chairmanship of Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and made the changes.
They Friday morning briefed President William Ruto as the Commander in Chief on their agreements before making it public.
Consequently, the President has also promoted and appointed Brig Thomas Njoroge Ng’ang’a to the rank of Maj Gen and appointed him the Commander Kenya Navy.
Until he was appointed Commander of Kenya Navy he was the Base Commander of Kenya Navy Base Manda.
Lt Gen Njiru was named to the position in 2022 to replace Lt Gen Walter Koipaton who retired after serving his four-year term.
Maj Gen Nganga is from the Kenya Navy and as per the rules, the next Chief of Defence Forces will come from the Kenya Navy if and when Gen Francis Ogolla retires next year.
Gen Ogolla may get an extension in office by a year if the Defence Council which he is a member advises so.
Other changes made include Maj Gen Juma Shee Mwinyikai who was promoted to the rank of Lt Gen and appointed commandant of National Defence College and Maj Gen Mohamed Nur Hassan who was appointed the Deputy Army Commander.
Brig Luka Kipkemoi Kuto was promoted to Maj Gen and posted as the General Officer Eastern Command while Maj Gen Aphaxard Muthuri Kiugu was posted to the military academy and named the commandant.
Maj Gen John Maison Nkoimo was posted to the border security command and appointed the General Officer Commanding.
Brig Peter Shikuku Chelimo was named the deputy commander of the Kenya Navy while Brig Yahya Abdi was named the senior directing staff Kenya Navy at the National Defence College.
Under the rules introduced by retired Chief of General Staff Gen Daudi Tonje — adopted and known as the Tonje Rules — the position of the CDF is rotated among the three services.
These are the Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy. Gen Ogolla is from the Kenya Airforce and his predecessor, Gen Robert Kibochi, was from the Kenya Army. This means that the next CDF must come from the Kenya Navy.
Apart from Maj Gen Nganga, the other service commanders are Kenya Army Commander Lt Gen Tarus and Kenya Airforce Commander Maj Gen John Omenda.
The 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.
However, 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.”
