Lt Gen Ketter named new Army Commander as Ruto assigns Tarus to NDU » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 27 — President William Ruto has appointed Major General David Kipkemboi Ketter as the new Commander of the Kenya Army, promoting him to the rank of Lieutenant General.

The move comes as part of changes within the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) following recommendations by the Defence Council chaired by Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya.

Lt Gen Ketter takes over from Lt Gen David Kimaiyo Chemwaina Tarus, who has been redeployed to serve as Vice Chancellor of the National Defence University-Kenya (NDU-K).

Until his appointment, Lt Gen Ketter was the Assistant Chief of Defence Forces in charge of Personnel and Logistics, a role that placed him at the heart of operational readiness and human resource planning across the KDF.

In other major changes, President Ruto appointed Major General Benard Waliaula as the new Commander of the Kenya Air Force, replacing Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed, who has retired after an illustrious 42-year military career culminating in her historic rise to become the first woman in the role.

Maj Gen Waliaula previously served as Director of Defence National Security Industries.

The President also elevated Brigadier Joel Muriungi M’arimi to the rank of Major General and appointed him as Commandant of the Kenya Military Academy. Prior to his new posting, Maj Gen M’arimi was the Commander of the Armoured Brigade.

Additionally, President Ruto promoted Brigadier Joyce Chelang’at Sitienei to Major General and named her Deputy Vice Chancellor, Centre for Strategic and Security Studies at NDU-K.

She previously served as Director of the International Peace Support Centre.

The Ministry of Defence also announced several other appointments by CS Tuya including the elevation of Ruto’s former Aide-de-Camp, Brigadier Timothy Stelu Lekolool to Major General and his appointment as Senior Directing Staff at the National Defence College.