President Uhuru makes key changes in KDF top structure [LIST]

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday, July 23 made changes to the military. At the top, Major General Francis Ogolla was promoted to Lieutenant General and named him Vice Chief of Defence Forces.

Maj Gen Ogolla will take over from Lt Gen Franklin Mghalu, who is retiring after 40 years in the military.

Lt Gen Mghalu has previously held the positions of Vice Chief of the Defence Forces and Commander of the Kenya Navy.

Brigadier John Omenda was also promoted to Major General and named Commander of the Kenya Air Force by Uhuru.

Uhuru upheld the recommendation of the Defence Council, which was chaired by Defence Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma, by promoting, posting, and appointing KDF officers.

Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director General Major General Mohamed Badi was also promoted to the rank of Lt. General.

A statement from the Ministry of Defence said Badi will, however, continue to serve as the NMS boss until August 12 when his deployment will come to an end.

Badi took over from former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko who agreed to transfer five key functions to the national government that were placed under the NMS.

Badi shot to the limelight in March 2020 after President Kenyatta appointed him to head NMS which is responsible for improving services in the city, including implementing a new rail transport system in measures aimed at modernising the city.

History

The career soldier’s star shone brighter in September 2020 when he became the first sitting military officer to be a Cabinet Secretary in charge of Nairobi Metropolitan Services.

Lt. General Badi is a pilot and a well-known soldier in the military ranks, having served in the defence forces since 1981.

Until his appointment, Badi was a senior Air Director at the National Defence College.

The Master of Science in Strategic Studies degree holder served as the Deputy Commandant at the National Defence College (NDC) and previously as a logistics helicopter pilot.

At the College, Badi also served as a Senior Directing Staff – Air. During the 1999 Sierra Leone Peacekeeping Mission, Badi served as a United Nations staffer.

Prior to his posting at NDC, Lt. Gen Badi served as the Commander in charge of Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi, after his elevation from a Colonel in July 2014 to the rank of brigadier by President Kenyatta.

In May 2019, the Kenya Air Force officer was promoted to major general before he was then appointed as the Senior Directing Staff – Air at the NDC.

He also studied at the War College in South Africa between January 2005 and May 2007.

Find the full list below: