- Lt Gen Kahariri sat in as the acting CDF immediately the tragedy occurred and will remain defence chief until when a substantive general is appointed.
- And even though Gen Ogolla had a year or two to serve, speculations were rife on who would succeed him following changes announced on March 8.
Image: FILE
Vice Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen Charles Muriu Kahariri will act as the Chief of Defence Forces, officials said.
This follows the death of CDF Gen Francis Ogolla in a helicopter crash on Thursday in Sindar area, Kaben location, Tot division, in Elgeyo Marakwet county.
Retired Gen Daudi Tonje told journalists in his Kitale home there is no vacuum in the military because there is a VCDF.
“The VCDF will take over for now until the President announces the substantive holder,” he said.
Lt Gen Kahariri sat in as the acting CDF immediately the tragedy occurred and will remain defence chief until when a substantive general is appointed and named by the President in accordance with the law.
The National Defence Council will meet and deliberate on who will be the next military boss and advise the President, who will make the appointment.
“There is no vacuum. There is a VCDF who will act until a new and substantive CDF is appointed,” said an official aware of the issue.
The recently announced changes in the military had sparked succession speculation in and outside the institution.
And even though Gen Ogolla had a year or two to serve, speculations were rife on who would succeed him following changes announced on March 8 by the defence council. The next CDF will come from the Kenya Navy.
Gen Ogolla was to retire next year. Gen Ogolla still eligible for an extension in office by a year if the defence council, which he is a member of, advised so.
This now leaves Lt Gen Kahariri, vice chancellor National Defence University Lt Gen Jimson Mutai and the VCDF as the possible successors.
Under the norms in the military, Lt Gen Mutai and Maj Gen Ng'ang'a stand the best chance to succeed Gen Ogolla because they have both been service commanders.
Being as a service commander is a consideration in naming of a CDF.
Lt Gen Kahariri served as deputy commander of the Kenya Navy.
Apart from Maj Gen Ng'ang'a, the other service commanders are Kenya Army commander Lt Gen David Tarus and Air Force Commander Maj Gen John Omenda.
The Kenya Defence Forces Act says a CDF, his deputy and service commanders shall serve a single term of four years or retire upon attaining the retirement age.
But the Act also says the President may, on the recommendation of the National Defence Council, extend the CDF’s term for a period not exceeding one year in times of war or emergencies like political uncertainty.
A general is supposed to retire at 62, a lieutenant general at 61, a major general at 59 and a brigadier at 57 years. However, the law puts a disclaimer on the general that:
“The maximum retirement age shall be amended from time to time through legislation on the recommendation by the Defence Council.”
Under the rules introduced by Gen Tonje the position of the CDF is rotated among the three services of the Army, Air Force and Navy.
Gen Ogolla is from the Air Force and his predecessor, Gen Robert Kibochi, was from the Army. This means that the next CDF must come from the Navy.