Ruto puts Lt Gen David Ketter on pole position for next KDF Forces chief
By Print Team, June 28, 2025President William Ruto has promoted Major General David Kipkemboi Ketter to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed him the Commander of the Kenya Army in changes that appear aimed at preparing the succession of current Chief of Defence Forces General Charles Muriu Kahariri.
According to the changes made on June 27, 2025, Lt. Gen Ketter replaces Lt. Gen David Kimaiyo Chemwaina Tarus, who has been redeployed as the Vice-Chancellor of the National Defence University-Kenya (NDU-K).
The President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appointed Major General Benard Waliaula Commander of the Kenya Air Force. He replaces Maj-Gen Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed, whose term of service has ended after 42 years.
Section 9(2) of the Kenya Defence Forces Act allows the President to appoint the Chief of the Defence Forces, Vice Chief of the Defence Forces, and the three Service Commanders and is responsible for the organisation and command of the Defence Forces.
With the next CDF expected to come from the Kenya Army upon the retirement of Gen Kahariri, whose mandatory retirement age of 62 coincidentally falls in 2027, the year that his four-year tenure also elapses, Lt Gen Ketter is now in pole position to succeed him.
The President also promoted and appointed Brigadier Joel Muriungi M’arimi to the rank of Major General and appointed him Commandant of the Kenya Military Academy. Until his appointment, he was the Commander of the Armoured Brigade.
The President has promoted and appointed Brigadier Joyce Chelang’at Sitienei to the rank of Major General and appointed her Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Centre for Strategic and Security Studies at the National Defence University – Kenya (NDU-K). Until her promotion and appointment, she was the Director of the International Peace Support Centre.
Further, on the advice of the Defence Council, Chaired by Hon Roselinda Soipan Tuya, Cabinet Secretary for Defence, the President upheld the Council’s recommendations and made various promotions, postings and appointments of Kenya Defence Forces Officers as follows:
Brigadier Faustino Mancha Lobaly was promoted to Major General and appointed Director of National Defence Security Industries.
Brigadier Charles Lenjo Mwazighe was promoted to Major General and appointed Director of the International Peace Support Centre.
Brigadier Mohamed Isak Iddi was promoted to Major General and appointed Director at the Directorate of Oversight, Compliance and Accountability (DOCA).
Brigadier Edward Rugendo was promoted to Major General and appointed Director of Personnel and Logistics.
Brigadier Richard Wambua Mwanzia was promoted to Major General and appointed Senior Directing Staff Army at the National Defence College.
Colonel Said Mohamed Mwacharo was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Chief of Infrastructure.
Colonel Meshack Sinkira Kishoyian was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Commander of the 6th Brigade.
Colonel Herbert Mabele Wafula was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Base Commander at Moi Airbase.
Colonel Ismail Guhad Noor was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Deputy Managing Director at Kenya Ordinance Factories Limited and Food Processing Factory. Colonel Victor Waithaka Kang’ethe was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Director National Air Support Department (NASD).
Colonel Rodah Mkavita Mwasigwa was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Chief of Compensation and Welfare at Defence Headquarters.
Former President Uhuru’s Aide-de-camp, Brigadier Timothy Stelu Lekolool was promoted to the rank of Major General and appointed Senior Directing Staff at the National Defence College.
Colonel Ronald Mesa Makori was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Chief of Strategic Plans and Policy.
Colonel Peter Musili Muthungu was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Head of Production at Kenya Shipyard Limited.
Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrida Atieno Omolo was promoted to Colonel and appointed Commander of Kenya Navy Logistics.
Lieutenant Colonel Safari Katana Kalume was promoted to Colonel and appointed Senior Directing Staff at the Navy Joint Warfare Centre.
Maj-Gen Fatuma was the senior-most female officer who first grabbed the headlines in August 2015 when she was promoted to the rank of Brigadier before later being promoted to her current coveted rank. Maj. Gen Fatuma. She joined the military in 1983 and became the first-ever woman to serve as a service commander and also the first female Air Force commander in the country.
In 2015, former President Uhuru Kenyatta promoted her to the rank of Brigadier, again becoming the first woman to attain that rank in the military. In 2021, she was promoted to the rank of Major General and posted to the National Defence College.
She has also served as the Assistant Chief of the Defence Forces in charge of personnel and logistics.
Gen Daudi Tonje, who served between 1996 and 2000, introduced the rules that guide the promotion, deployment and retirement of senior military officers.
The rules, popularly referred to as the ‘Tonje Rules’, provide a very clear career path within the military. They are, however, not necessarily binding, but President Ruto and past C-i-Cs have religiously followed them.
The Tonje Rules are like a gentleman’s agreement and are not formalised or encoded in any statute, legislation, or law.
The position of CDF rotates among the three services – the Kenya Army, the Kenya Navy, and the Kenya Air Force. The CDF serves one term of 4 years with a possible extension at the pleasure of the C-i-C.
After Gen Tonje retired, Gen. Kibwana (Kenya Navy) took over and later handed over to Kenya Army’s Gen Kianga. Gen Kianga handed over to Gen Karangi (Kenya Air Force). Other CDFs that followed were Gen Mwathethe (Kenya Navy), Gen Kibochi (Kenya Army), Gen Ogolla (Kenya Air Force) and now the Navy’s Gen Kahariri.
The past Chiefs of General Staff (CGS) were Major General Robert Penfold (1966-1969), Major. Gen Joseph Musyimi Ndolo (1969-1971), Gen Jackson Mulinge (1971-1986), Gen Mohamud Haji Mohamed (1986-1996), Gen Daudi Tonje (1996-2000), Gen Joseph Kibwana (2000-2005), and Jeremiah Kianga (2005-2011).
Tonje, a top 1961 high school graduate, joined the military in April 1962, trained at Lanet and Mons, England, and received an accelerated promotion.