Top staff changes awaited in military as Kianga term expires

General Jeremiah Kianga may have celebrated his last national day as the Chief of the General Staff on Wednesday.

Gen Kianga’s contract expires on July 1, paving the way for President Kibaki to appoint a new Chief of the General Staff.

Also in line for retirement is the Vice Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Julius Karangi, whose contract is set to expire on December 1.

The President, as the Commander-in-Chief, has the prerogative of retaining his top generals, as he has done in the past, or make changes in what is likely to be his last major reshuffle of the military.

The last senior officers to leave the military were Lt Gen Jack Tuwei and Lt Gen Jones Mutwii who retired late last year.

The possible retirement of Gen Kianga and Lt Gen Karangi has touched off anticipation in the military since it would automatically pave the way for promotions in the rank and file.

Gen Kianga was born on April 26, 1950. He joined the military in April 1971. Should Gen Karangi retire in December, he will have served in the military for nearly 40 years.

According to the Defence ministry website, he joined Kenya Air Force in 1973 and after cadet training in the UK, he was commissioned as an officer in 1974, according to the Ministry of Defence.

On qualifying as a flight navigator in October 1975 in the Royal Air Force (England), he was posted to Flying Wing Kenya Air Force where he worked as a navigator.

Lt Gen Karangi has been trained in Kenya, United Kingdom (UK), India and United States.

He has served as an officer in charge of the management of the American Military Aid to Kenya, Officer in charge of the Research Department in the Defence headquarters, Commander of Air Defence Battalion in Kenya Air Force, Liaison Officer in Sarajevo (Bosnia), Senior Military Liaison Officer in Belgrade (Serbia), Senior Military Observer in Belgrade and Croatia — all with the United Nations as a peacekeeper in 1992-93, Staff Officer in Kenya Air Force headquarters in charge of Administration, Personnel and Logistics, Instructor at the Defence Staff College and the Armed Forces Training College, Lanet.

In 1995, he was appointed the Commander of Moi Air Base. In 1997, he was appointed the Commander of the Kenya Air Force Logistics Command.

In 1998, he was posted to Defence headquarters and appointed Chief Procurement Officer of the Kenya Armed Forces.

In May 1999, he was appointed to a senior position of assistant Chief of the General Staff at Defence headquarters in charge of Training, Doctrine and Procurement for the Kenya Armed Forces.

Between December 2000 and November 2003, Lt Gen Karangi was the commandant of Defence Staff College, Karen in the rank of Major General.

He was thereafter appointed Commander Kenya Air Force and served from November 2003 to August 10 2005.

On August 10, 2005, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed Vice-Chief of the General Staff, Defence headquarters, his current position.

Lt Gen Karangi is married to Mary, and they have three children, two daughters and a son.

The National Defence Council, chaired by Defence minister Yusuf Haji, is expected to advise the President on the next course of action and propose the names to take up key positions. The President then makes the final alterations and decisions.

Among those in the top line to succeed Gen Kianga and Lt Gen Karangi are the Army Commander, Lt Gen N. Mwaniki, and the Commandant, National Defence College, Lt Gen Joseph Kasaon.

They are the highest ranking officers after Gen Kianga and Lt Gen Karangi.

Lt Gen Mwaniki is an ardent Infantry General who has held various appointments both in Command and Staff duties such as: Assistant Chief of the General Staff in charge of Personnel and Logistics at Defence headquarters; General Officer Commanding Eastern Command; Brigade Commander; Deputy Brigade Commander; Directing Staff at Defence Staff College — Kenya and Army Staff College — Camberly in United Kingdom, among others.

He was also the chairman of the Joint Military Commission of the Ceasefire Agreement of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 1999 to 2003.

He is a graduate of the National Defence College — Kenya, The University of Nairobi (Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies), National Defence University — China, and Defence Staff College — Kenya.

He is currently undertaking his MA in War in Modern World at the Kings College — London University.

Lt Gen Kasaon has served in various capacities, among others as Commanding Officer 9 KR, Senior Instructor (SI) School of Infantry (SOI), Commandant SOI, Head of Writing Team (HOWT) at Defence Staff College (DSC), Colonel Intelligence at the MIC (Military Intelligence Corps), Chief of Operations headquarters Kenya Army (HQ KA), Chief of Operations Defence headquarters (DHQ), Commandant School of Combat (SOC), Deputy Commandant/Chief Instructor (CI) AFTC, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Eastern Command, Senior Directing Staff (SDS) Army at National Defence College (NDC) and eventually he is the Commandant (NDC) Kenya.

Aside from his training in Kenya, he has undertaken military training in the US and India.

Also in the succession line is Maj Gen Gordon Kihalangwa, the assistant Chief of the General Staff, Air Force Commander Maj Gen Harold Tangai and Maj Gen Samson Mwathethe, the Navy Commander.

Other senior officers who may be affected by the expected changes are the deputy Army Commander, Maj Gen Maurice Oyugi, the Commandant Defence Staff College, Maj Gen Joff Otieno, and the Senior Directing Staff National Defence College Maj Gen Jackson Waweru.

“Appointments in the Kenyan security agencies such as the military are based on experience, ability, rank, training and an individual’s background. Senior officers are promoted and appointed on the basis of their professional backgrounds, taking into consideration national and regional representation,” Government spokesperson Alfred Mutua said in a recent statement in relation to the pending shake-up.

The movements at the top ordinarily affect the lower ranks where officers are in high expectations of filling the positions of those promoted or retired.

The new Constitution is silent on the procedure of the appointment of top military officers, which leaves the discretion to the President as the Commander in Chief, to execute decisions on the advice of the National Defence Council, much in line with the American system.