The Ministry of Defence has been feted as one of Kenya’s top-performing public institutions after securing four major national awards for excellence in accountability, financial governance and public service leadership.
The achievement firmly positions the Ministry as a leading benchmark for integrity and disciplined resource management across Government.
At the 2025 Financial Reporting (FiRe) Awards, the Ministry emerged as the Overall Winner in the Public Sector Category and the Top Performer among all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The Ministry said the awards reflect its strong compliance with financial reporting standards, transparency requirements and governance expectations.
In addition to the FiRe accolades, the Ministry was also honoured by the Office of the Head of Public Service with two further distinctions: the Unmodified Audit Opinion Award and the Leadership in Driving the Public Service Transformation Agenda in 2025.
MoD said the recognitions highlight its clean audit record and its instrumental role in supporting national programmes and county-level infrastructure initiatives under the government’s transformation agenda.
Defence CS Soipan Tuya
and Defence PS Patrick Mariru during the award ceremony / HANDOUTDuring a ceremony held on Monday at Defence Headquarters, the awards were formally presented to the Cabinet Secretary for Defence Soipan Tuya by Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru, in the presence of Heads of Departments and senior Ministry officials.
CS Tuya applauded the milestone, attributing the success to the professionalism and discipline embedded within the Ministry.
“These awards affirm the Ministry of Defence’s deep commitment to excellence, integrity and responsible stewardship of public resources. Our civilian and uniformed teams continue to demonstrate what it means to serve with dedication and uphold the highest standards of public service,” CS Tuya said.
PS Mariru praised personnel across the Ministry for their collective effort and adherence to strong governance practices.
“This is a Ministry-wide achievement. We have been able to navigate complex, public-service-wide issues while steering key Government projects and programmes. I congratulate the entire MoD team for consistently maintaining systems that meet the highest national standards,” the PS added.
The Ministry’s outstanding performance this year reinforces its reputation as a model institution within the public sector and sets a strong foundation for continued accountability, efficiency and excellence in service to the nation.
The Ministry of Defence, established under Executive Order No. 2 of 2023 dated November 1, 2023, continues to anchor its operations on the Constitution of Kenya as it oversees and supports the work of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Under Article 241(3)(a), (b) and (c) of the Constitution, the Ministry is mandated to facilitate KDF in defending and protecting Kenya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, assisting other authorities during emergencies or disasters, and restoring peace in areas affected by unrest or instability when assigned.
In line with this constitutional framework, the Ministry’s mission is to defend and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kenya, assist and cooperate with other authorities in situations of emergency or disaster, and restore peace in any part of Kenya affected by unrest or instability as assigned.
The Ministry remains a central pillar in Kenya’s national security architecture, working jointly with other government agencies to ensure stability, safeguard citizens, and respond effectively to crises.
