Chief of Defence Forces (Kenya)

The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) is the highest-ranking military officer in the Kenya Defence Forces and the principal military adviser to the President of Kenya and the National Security Council. The CDF outranks all respective heads of each service branch and has operational command authority over the service branches. He leads the meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Service Commander, comprising the CDF, the Commander of the Kenya Army and Kenya Air Force, Kenya Navy and the Commandant of Military Intelligence. The CDF has offices in Ulinzi House. Following the 2010 Constitution, the Chief of the General Staff was replaced with the Chief of the Defence Forces.[1]

Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces
Standard of the Kenya Defence Forces
Incumbent
Robert Kariuki Kibochi
since 11 May 2020
National Security Council
AbbreviationCDF
Member ofKenya Defence Forces
Reports toPresident of Kenya
ResidenceUlinzi House
SeatUlinzi House
NominatorDefence Forces and Defence Council
AppointerPresident of Kenya
Term lengthServe a single term of four years or retire upon the attaining of the mandatory retirement age
Constituting instrumentArticle 241 of the Constitution of Kenya
First holderGeneral Bernard Penfold
DeputyVice Chief of the Defence Forces
Salaryapproximately Ksh1million /month

The office is considered very important and highly prestigious, because the CDF has command authority over the Armed Forces. The chain of command is from the President (as the Commander in Chief), directly to the CDF. The CDF, as a Principal Adviser, does have authority over personnel assignments and oversight over resources and personnel allocated to the commands within the respective services. The Chairman may also transmit communications to the service commanders from the President. He also performs all other functions as assigned from time to time by the President. The CDF may also allocate those duties and responsibilities to other officers under his name.

List of chiefs
Chief of the General Staff
No. Chief of the General StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branchRef
1
Penfold, BernardGeneral
Bernard Penfold
(1916–2015)		196619692–3 yearsArmy[2][3]
2
Ndolo, JosephJoseph Ndolo196924 June 19711–2 yearsArmy[4]
None
(1971-1978)
3
Mulinge, JacksonGeneral
Jackson Mulinge
(1924–2014)		November 197819867–8 yearsArmy[5][6]
4
Mohamed, MahamoudGeneral
Mahamoud Mohamed		198619969–10 yearsAir Force[7][6]
5
Tonje, DaudiGeneral
Daudi Tonje		199630 November 20003–4 yearsArmy[7][6][8]
5
Kibwana, JosephGeneral
Joseph Kibwana		1 December 200031 August 20054–5 yearsNavy[6]
6
Kianga, JeremiahGeneral
Jeremiah Kianga		1 September 200512 July 20115–6 yearsArmy[6]
Chief of the Defence Forces
No. Chief of the Defence ForcesTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branchRef
1
Penfold, BernardGeneral
Julius Waweru Karangi		13 July 20114 May 20153 years, 295 daysAir force[6]
2
Mwathethe, SamsonGeneral
Samson Mwathethe		4 May 20158 May 20205 years, 4 daysNavy[6][9]
3
General
Robert Kariuki Kibochi
(born 1959)		11 May 2020Incumbent98 daysArmy[10]

Citations
  1. Kibet, Dennis (28 June 2018). "KDF makes major changes". Puls live. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  2. Hornsby 2012, p. 180.
  3. "King's Collections : Archive Catalogues : Military Archives". kcl.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  4. Hornsby 2012, p. 228-229.
  5. Hornsby 2012, p. 335-336.
  6. Nairobian reporter. "Seven Kenya Defence Forces military generals you never wanted to mess with". SDE. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  7. Hornsby 2012, p. 554.
  8. https://www.africa-confidential.com/article-preview/id/975/A_soldier%27s_story
  9. Ramadhan, Khatib (1 May 2015). "Navy General takes over as new Chief of Kenya Defence Forces". Indian Ocean Observer. Mombasa. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  10. Agutu, Nancy (11 May 2020). "Robert Kibochi sworn in as new Chief of Kenya Defence Forces". the-star.co.ke. The Star. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
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References
  • Hornsby, Charles (2012). Kenya: A History Since Independence. London/New York: I. B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-886-2.
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