The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) are the armed forces of the Republic of Kenya. They are made up of the Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, and Kenya Air Force. The current KDF was established, and its composition stipulated, in Article 241 of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya; it is governed by the KDF Act of 2012. Its main mission is the defence and protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kenya, recruitment to the KDF is done on yearly basis. The President of Kenya is the commander-in-chief of the KDF, and the Chief of Defence Forces is the highest-ranking military officer, and the principal military adviser to the President of Kenya.
Jamhuri Day is a national holiday in Kenya, celebrated on 12 December each year. Jamhuri is the Swahili word for "republic" and the holiday officially marks the date when Kenya became a independent country on 12 December 1963, six months after gaining internal self-rule on 1 June 1963 from the United Kingdom. Kenya later became an republic, with the inauguration of Jomo Kenyatta as president taking place on 12 December 1964, exactly one year after Kenya attained independence in 1963. Kenyatta, having previously been sworn in as prime minister, continued as prime minister of newly independent Kenya, before assuming the position of president one year after Independence Day.
The Australian Defence College (ADC) comprises three joint education and training organisations operated by the Australian Defence Force in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory:
The Kenya Police Service is a national body in charge of law enforcement in Kenya. It is subordinate to National Police Service which is headed by Inspector General of Police who exercises independent command over the Service. Kenya Police is headed by Deputy Inspector General. Kenya Police is divided into Service Headquarters in Nairobi, Formations, General Duty Commands and Training Institutions.
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.
Gibson Sanda JaloJSS was a Nigerian Army lieutenant general, who was the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) from April 1980 until October 1981. He also served as the Chief of Defence Staff from 1981 to 1983 during the Nigerian Second Republic.
The Kenya Army is the land arm of the Kenya Defence Forces.
Lieutenant General Jameel Mahmood, AVSM, ADC was a General Officer in the Indian Army. He served as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command between October 1992 and May 1993. Gen Mahmood was killed with his wife in an Mi-17 helicopter crash in Bhutan, while on an official visit.
General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi is a senior military officer in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF). He currently serves as the Chief of Defense Forces, the highest position in Uganda's military. He was appointed to that position on 24 June 2021, replacing General David Muhoozi, who was appointed State Minister of Internal Affairs.
Lieutenant General Obed Boamah Akwa is a retired Ghanaian military officer who served as the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces from February 2017 to February 2021. Prior to his appointment, he was the Chief of Army Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Lieutenant General Satinder Kumar Saini, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VSM, ADC was the 41st Vice Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army and assumed the office on 25 January 2020. He previously served as General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C) Southern Command.
The Kenya Army Band is the primary military musical unit in the Kenya Army and by extension Kenya Defence Forces. From independence it was the only band in the Kenya Defence Forces until 1985 when the Kenya Air Force Band was formed and later in 1999 when the Kenya Navy Band was formed. All members of the band also play their primary role as Infantry Branch, with many having been deployed on various peace keeping missions, Somalia and South Sudan.
Brigadier Vincent Naisho Loonena, is a Kenyan military officer in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). Effective 2018, he was till April 12, 2023 the Director General of Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS), a specialized maritime force of the Republic of Kenya, responsible for law enforcement on national waters, including on the oceans, lakes and rivers. Prior to his current assignment, he was the managing director of the KDF Medical Insurance Program, where he had served for four months, since July 2018.
Lieutenant General Walter Koipaton Raria, is a Kenyan military officer. Between July 2018 and July 2022, he served as the Commander Kenya Army, a service branch of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
General (retired) Samson Mwathethe, is a Kenyan military officer. Effective April 2015 to May 2020, he was the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), the highest appointment in the Kenyan armed forces.
General Nadeem Raza NI(M), HI(M) is a retired four-star army general of the Pakistan Army who got commissioned in 10 Sind Regiment in September 1985. He served 17th Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Raza was previously the Corps Commander of the X Corps (Pakistan) and CGS and General Officer Commanding 9th infantry division, Wana and Commandant of the Pakistan Military Academy.
The Commander, Kenya Army is the chief and highest-ranking officer of the Kenya Army The current commander is Lieutenant general David Kimaiyo Tarus
General Manoj Pande, is a serving four star officer in the Indian Army, who is the 29th and the current Chief of the Army Staff. He previously served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Command and also as the Commander-in-Chief (CINCAN) of Andman and Nicobar Command. He is the first officer from the Corps of Engineers and also first from non infantry/armoured corps to become the Army Chief.
Lieutenant General (Dr) Jaiveer Singh Negi PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VSM** is a retired General Officer who has served as the 49th Commandant of the Indian Military Academy. He took over from Lieutenant General Sanjay Kumar Jha, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, on 1 February 2020. Prior to his appointment as Commandant of the Indian Military Academy, he was the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Strategic Forces Command
General Robert Kariuki Kibochi is a Kenyan military officer who served from May 2020 to May 2023 as the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). He was the first non-infantry officer from the Kenya Army to be appointed as CDF as a member of the Kenya Army Corps of Signals, the military personnel responsible for conveying of information.
