The Commanders of the Air Force is the head of the Kenya Air Force. The post was created in 1964 with Group Captain Ian Stockwell of the Royal Air Force as the first commander. The current Commanders of the Air Force is Maj. Gen. Fatumah Ahmed, who was appointed on 2 May 2024.[1]
| Commander of Kenya Air Force | |
|---|---|
since 2 May 2024 | |
 Kenya Air Force | |
| Type | Commanding general |
| Reports to | Chief of Defence Forces |
| Formation | 1964 |
| First holder | Group Captain Ian Stockwell |
List of Commanders of the Air Force
edit| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 | 
|
Group captain Ian S Stockwell (1917–1998) |
1 June 1964 | 22 February 1967 | 2 years, 266 days | [2] |
| 2 |
|
Group captain Fred Rothwell |
23 February 1967 | 9 August 1971 | 4 years, 167 days | [2] |
| 3 |
|
Group captain David John Edwards |
10 August 1971 | 16 April 1973 | 1 year, 249 days | [2] |
| 4 |
|
Colonel Dedan Njuguna Gichuru |
17 April 1973 | 26 June 1980 | 7 years, 70 days | [2][3] |
| 5 |
|
Major general Patrick Mwagiru Kariuki |
27 June 1980 | 11 August 1982 | 2 years, 45 days | [2] |
| 6 |
|
Lieutenant general Mohamed Haji Barrow Mohamud |
12 August 1982 | 13 March 1986 | 3 years, 213 days | [2] |
| 7 |
|
Major general Dedan Njuguna Gichuru |
14 February 1986 | 9 May 1989 | 3 years, 84 days | [2] |
| 8 |
|
Major general Duncan Kireri Wachira |
10 May 1989 | 28 June 1994 | 5 years, 49 days | [2] |
| 9 |
|
Major general Nick Letoluo Leshan |
29 June 1994 | 30 November 2000 | 6 years, 154 days | [2] |
| 10 |
|
Major general Simon Kiplimo Muttai |
1 December 2000 | 26 November 2003 | 2 years, 360 days | [2] |
| 11 | .jpg)
|
Major general Julius Waweru Karangi (born 1951) |
27 November 2003 | 9 August 2005 | 1 year, 255 days | [2] |
| 12 |
|
Major general Harold Mwakio Tangai |
10 August 2005 | 12 July 2011 | 5 years, 336 days | [2] |
| 13 |
|
Major general Joff Otieno |
13 July 2011 | 30 July 2014 | 3 years, 17 days | [2] |
| 14 |
|
Major general Samuel Nganga Thuita |
31 July 2014 | 13 July 2018 | 3 years, 347 days | [2] |
| 15 |
|
Major general Francis Omondi Ogolla (1962–2024) |
14 July 2018 | 22 July 2021 | 3 years, 8 days | [2][4] |
| 16 |
|
Major general John Mugaravai Omenda |
23 July 2021 | 2 May 2024 | 2 years, 284 days | [1][2][5] |
| 17 |
|
Major general Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed (born c. 1966) |
2 May 2024 | Incumbent | 203 days | [6] |
References
edit- ^ a b "Ogolla appointed KDF vice chief in new postings". The Star. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "History of Commanders of the Kenya Air Force". Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "17 April". Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ Ochieng, Angeline; Oudia, Rushdie (18 December 2023). "How General Francis Ogolla is Demystifying Chief of Defence Forces Position". Nation Africa. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ "Major General John Mugaravai Omenda EBS SS OGW 'rcds' (UK) 'psc' (K) Commander Kenya Air Force". Kenya Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ Barasa, Lucas (3 May 2024). "The rise and rise of Maj-Gen Fatuma Ahmed, Kenya's first woman service commander". nation.africa. Retrieved 16 November 2024.