William Ruto Appoints David Ketter Kenya Army Commander, Makes Other Changes in KDF Leadership
- President William Ruto, in his capacity as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has made several high-level changes in the leadership of the Kenya Defence Forces
- Kenya Army and Kenya Air Force have new commanders; Lieutenant General David Ketter will be the new Commander of the Kenya Army
- Major General Benard Waliaula was appointed to take over the leadership of the Kenya Air Force as its commander following the retirement of Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed
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Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
President William Ruto has sanctioned a host of major changes in the leadership of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Source: Facebook
Which changes did William Ruto make in KDF?
He promoted Major General David Kipkemboi Ketter to Lieutenant General and appointed him as the new Commander of the Kenya Army.
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Ketter takes over from Lieutenant General David Kimaiyo Chemwaina Tarus, whom the president reassigned to serve as Vice Chancellor at the National Defence University – Kenya (NDU-K).
Prior to this new role, Lieutenant General Ketter held the position of Assistant Chief of Defence Forces, overseeing personnel and logistics.
Elsewhere, Ruto appointed Major General Benard Waliaula to take over the leadership of the Kenya Air Force as its commander.
Waliaula takes over from Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed, who retired after 42 years in the military.
Ruto tapped Waliaula from the Defence National Security Industries, where he served as the director.
Additionally, Brigadier Joel Muriungi M'arimi has been promoted to Major General and named commandant of the Kenya Military Academy, having previously led the Armoured Brigade.
Brigadier Joyce Chelang’at Sitienei was also elevated to Major General and designated as deputy vice chancellor for the Centre for Strategic and Security Studies at NDU-K.
She formerly directed the International Peace Support Centre.
Which KDF commander is retiring?
As earlier hinted, Major General Gaiti is hanging up her boots after over four decades of service.
She was appointed the Kenya Air Force commander in 2024.
Gaiti became a major general three years after she was promoted to the rank of a brigadier in 2015.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Human Development and has pursued a Master of Arts in Social Transformation from Tangaza University College.
The major general is also an alumna of Strathmore University, where she attained a Diploma in Management.
Source: Facebook
Who will be the next CDF?
Having risen the ranks to be the Kenya Army commander, Ketter is poised to be the next Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces.
The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) post is rotational.
It conforms to the system introduced by the former military chief Daudi Tonje, ensuring the post rotates seamlessly across the Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, and Kenya Air Force.
In 2023, the late General Francis Ogolla, from the Kenya Air Force, assumed the CDF role from General Robert Kibochi, who was the Kenya Army commander.
Kibochi had succeeded General Samson Mwathethe, a Navy commander.
Mwathethe headed the military immediately after General Julius Karangi of the Air Force.
Following General Ogolla’s death last year, the leadership of the Kenya Defence Forces transitioned to the Navy, with then–Navy commander General Charles Kahariri being appointed as the new CDF, a position he continues to hold to date.
Next to hold the post will be the commander of the Kenya Army, with Ketter on the line.
Ogolla was the only CDF who died while still in office; he perished in a chopper crash in April 2024.
He died alongside eight other military personnel after the Bell Huey helicopter they had boarded tumbled in Elgeyo Marakwet.
A report from the probe team constituted by the Ministry of Defence showed the aircraft crashed after developing engine problems midair.
However, a section of political leaders demanded more answers, arguing it was not normal for a military chopper carrying a CDF to crash.
Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka claimed the CDF was the second most guarded person in the country after the president, and could not have died "in a casual manner we saw".
Similar questions were raised by DAP-K Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa, who served as Defence CS during former president Uhuru Kenyatta's tenure.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
