President Kenyatta appoints General Robert Kibochi as the Chief of Defence Forces

President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed Rober Kibochi as the new Chief of Defence forces.

General Robert Kariuki takes over from General Samson Mwatethe whose five year term came to and end, having served in the military for 42 years the last five of which he was the Chief of Defence forces.

Until his appointment as the news Chief of Defence Forces, General Kibochi was the Vice Chief of Defence Forces. He will be deputised by Navy Commander, Major General Franklin Levi Mghalu.

The new appointments will take effect as from 11th of May 2020.

The position of CDF rotates among Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force, and the Kenya Navy. The officer holders serve a single term of four years but with a possible extension by a year at the pleasure of the Commander in Chief.

Having been appointed in 2015, Gen. Mwathethe ought to have retired in 2019 but President Kenyatta extended his term for a year.

Gen. Mwathethe was from the Kenya Navy while his predecessor Gen. Julius Karangi was from the Kenya Air Force.