President Ruto has also promoted Major General John Mugaravai Ornenda to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed him Vice Chief of the Defence Forces.
Lieutenant General John Mugaravai Ornenda was the Kenya Air Force Commander prior to the appointment.
General Kahariri’s appointment comes two weeks after General Francis Ogolla died in a copter crash alongside nine other military officers.
Before his promotion to the second highest rank in the military, Lt-Gen Kahariri was deputy commandant National Defence College.
President Ruto has also posted Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed to the Kenya Air Force and appointed her Commander and also posted Major General Paul Owuor Otieno to the Kenya Navy and appointed him Commander.
On the advice of the Defence Council Chaired by Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, President Ruto has upheld the Council’s recommendations and made the following promotions, postings and appointments of KDF Officers;
Major General Thomas Njoroge Ng’ang’a has been posted to National Defence University and appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Administration and Finance.
Brigadier Peter Nyamu Githinji has been promoted to Major General and appointed Senior Directing Staff, Air at National Defence College.
Brigadier Jariani Kampare Gula was promoted to Major General and appointed Managing Director of Kenya Meat Commission.
Brigadier George Okumu was promoted to Major General and appointed Managing Director Kenya Ordinance Factories Corporation and Food Processing Factory.
Brigadier Samuel Kosgel Kipkorir was appointed Deputy Commander of Kenya Air Force.
The CDF position is occupied on a rotational basis by generals within the three military formations which include the Kenya Army, the Kenya Airforce and the Kenya Navy.
General Ogolla was from the Kenya Airforce and Kahariri is from the Kenya Navy.
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.
The Act, however, allows the president, on the recommendation of the National Defence Council, extend the CDF’s term for a period not exceeding one year.
A General’s retirement age is set at 62, while that of Lt-Gen at 61, and Maj-Gen and Brigadier retiring at 59 and 57, respectively.
“The President may remove, retire or redeploy the Chief of the Defence Forces, the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces or any of the Service Commanders at any time before the expiry of the term of office,” the Act says.
Besides age, there is also the bit of seniority and what role that plays in the appointment of a four-star general.
“In appointing the Chief of the Defence Forces, the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces and the three Service Commanders, the President shall take into account— seniority; military and formal civil education; the possession of a relevant degree from a university or an institution recognized in Kenya, or such other equivalent qualifications as may be approved by the Defence Council; and military and security experience,” the KDF Act says.
The Defence Council which will recommend names to the Head of State is chaired by Defence Cabinet Secretary, currently Aden Duale, also has the CDF, the three service commanders of the Defence Forces, and Defence Principal Secretary, currently held by Patrick Mariru.
The council is responsible for the overall policy, control, and supervision of the Kenya Defence Forces; and performs any other functions prescribed by national legislation, including advising the President on KDF, formulate overall KDF policy and monitor its implementation; as well as exercise oversight role on the training or undertaking of instructions of members of the Defence Forces in any country outside Kenya.
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