Why Ruto settled on Kahariri as the new CDF to replace the Late General Ogolla
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President Ruto swears in General Kahariri as the new CDF (Chief of Defence Forces following the death of Francis Ogolla
President Ruto swears in General Kahariri as the new CDF (Chief of Defence Forces following the death of Francis Ogolla.
This comes after Ruto 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.
Kahariri is said to have beaten Lieutenant General Jimson Longiro Mutai, the current National Defence University-Kenya (NDU-K) Vice-Chancellor (VC) due to his seniority having been enlisted in the military in 1987 while the latter joined in 1992.
Both Kahariri and Mutai are from the Kenya Navy, which was due to produce the next CDF after the late General Francis Ogolla who hailed from the Kenya Air Force as per the Tonje Rules.
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 mandates him to appoint the CDF, the VCDF, and the three Service Commanders.
The President is responsible for the organization and command of the Defence Forces.
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Ruto swears in General Kahariri as the new CDF, sends him a message
The President 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 deputized 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 and 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.
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.
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