Why NMS boss Badi or Ogolla will be next military chief

President Uhuru Kenyatta has strategically placed Lt Gen Francis Ogolla and director-general of Nairobi Metropolitan Services Lt Gen Mohammed Badi to become the next military chief.

The two were promoted from the rank of major general on Friday, putting them in pole position to take over as the next Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces after Gen Robert Kariuki Kibochi exits.

Gen Kibochi has attained the mandatory retirement age of 62 but he is unlikely to be retired because of the demanding political transition after the 2022 General Election.

The military top brass are critical during the transfer of political power with the Chief of Defence Forces being a member of the powerful Assumption of the Office of President Committee.

The committee's role includes facilitating the handing over process by the outgoing president to the president-elect.

In the military changes, Uhuru appointed Ogolla vice chief of the Kenya Defence Forces. He is replaced by John Mugaravai Omenda as the new Commander of the Kenya Air Force.

It was the first time in many years top military ranks had gone to Western Kenya. Ogolla hails from Nyanza while Omenda, the first Luhya to ever command a service, comes from Western.

In 2014, Uhuru swiftly retired Maj Gen Joff Otieno and posted him as  ambassador to Cairo, triggering murmurs in political circles.

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 Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy.

Gen Kibochi is from the Kenya Army and his predecessor, Gen Samson Mwathethe, was from the Kenya Navy.

This means that the next CDF must come from the Kenya Air Force.

Both Ogolla and Badi are Air Force veterans and now the senior most  officers with the title Lieutenant General.

In the military, you don’t skip ranks.

The next sitting of the Number One Board  is likely to take place in April next year. It decides changes in the appointment and promotion of senior military and the possible retirement or extension of contracts of KDF commanders.

This would only be four months to the 2022 polls, making it unlikely for Kibochi to be retired months before a high-stakes presidential contest.

Apart from Omenda, the other service commanders are Kenya Army Commander Lt Gen Walter Koipaton Raria and Kenya Navy Commander Maj Gen Jimson Mutai 

Apart from the CDF, other members of the Assumption of the Office of the President Committee are the Director of NIS, PS Interior, Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General, State House Comptroller as well as PSs for Foreign Affairs, Finance and ICT.

Others are two clerks of the bicameral Parliament and the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary.

The team is chaired by the Secretary of the Cabinet.

Part of the mandate of the committee is to organise for the security of the president-elect.

They also co-ordinate the briefings of the president-elect by key public officers and facilitate communication between the outgoing president and the president-elect.

The Kenya Defence Forces 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.

Ogolla is 59,  Badi is age 58.

The Act also says the president may, on the recommendation of the National Defence Council, which is also known as Board One, extend the CDF’s term for not more than one year in times of war or emergencies, such as  political uncertainty.

A general is supposed to retire at age 62, a Lt Gen at 61, a Maj Gen at 59 and a Brigadier at 57 years.

However, the law contains a clause about generals: "The maximum retirement age shall be amended from time to time through legislation on the recommendation by the Defence Council.”

In the latest changes, the council named at least four women as Brigadiers, the first time so many women to have joined the fourth highest military rank.

They include Brig Yvonne Kirui (chief of legal service defence headquarters), Joyce Sitieni (director International Peace Support Training Centre), Carolyne Mutisya (Kenya National Geospacial Agency) and Elizabeth Omolo (director of exams at the National Defence University).

More than 100 senior officers across all ranks were promoted in the changes.

The council also promoted Maj Gen Albert Kandagor to the rank of Lt Gen and appointed him as the commander of Amisom designate, Maj Gen Jonah  Mwangi to Lt Gen and appointed vice chancellor National Defence University of Kenya to replace Lt Gen Adan Mulata who retired.

Maj Gen William Shume was appointed deputy Commander Kenya Army.

Brig Peter Githinji was appointed deputy Kenya Air Force commander.

Brig Alphaxard Kiugu was promoted to the rank of Maj Gen and appointed assistant chief of defence personnel and logistics while Brig Peter Muteti was promoted to the rank of Maj Gen and appointed general officer border security command.

Brig Stephen Otieno was promoted to the rank of Maj Gen and named general officer commanding border security command while Col Peter Chelimo was promoted to brigadier and appointed base commander Kenya Navy Manda.

The new KDF spokesperson will be Col Esther Wanjiku to replace Col Zipporah Kioko who goes for further studies at Royal College of Defence.

Maj Gen Fatuma Ahmed was posted to the Kenya Military Academy as the commandant. Maj Gen Solomon Manambo was posted to national security industries as director general.

Maj Gen Peter Njiru was appointed commandant Defence Staff College and Maj Gen Martin Ong’oyi was posted to Kenya Ordnance Factories as managing director.

Maj Gen Charles Kahariri was appointed commandant National Defence College while Maj Gen Rashid Elmi was posted to National Defence University for studies.

 Brig Ken Didi was appointed deputy chief of Legal at the college.

Some Sh119 billion was budgeted for the Defence ministry this financial year, which is the highest figure ever.

(Edited by V. Graham).