When President Uhuru Kenyatta plucked General (Rtd) Samson Mwathethe out of retirement this week and appointed him the chairman of the KenGen board, it was the latest in a trend where military generals, both serving and retired, are heading key government institutions in the security, transport and energy sectors.
Among the appointments is Gen (Rtd) Joseph Kibwana (chairperson, Kenya Ports Authority) and former Kenya Navy commander, Maj Gen (Rtd) Pastor Awitta (chairperson of the Kenya Railways Corporation).
The others are Gen (Rtd) Julius Karangi (NSSF) and Maj Gen (Rtd) Philip Kameru (National Intelligence Service director)
Gen (Rtd) Mwathethe retired from the military in May, after serving for close to four decades. He rose from a seaman to head the defence forces and become the principal military adviser to the President and the National Security Council.
“General (Rtd) Mwathethe brings to the KenGen board immense wealth of experience in strategy and leadership, which will steer KenGen on our noble mandate to generate reliable, safe and competitively priced electric energy for the nation and diversify the business to expand revenue streams,” Ms Rebecca Miano, the KenGen MD and CEO, wrote in a press statement.
The appointment of Gen Mwathethe came days after generals who retired with him also got rewarded with new jobs.
Major Gen (Rtd) Samuel Nandwa and Maj Gen (Rtd) Ngewa Mukala are heading to South Sudan and Sudan respectively as ambassadors.
Maj Gen Mukala had been the managing director of the Kenya Ordnance Factory Corporation, commandant at the Defence Staff College and Kenya Navy Commander.
Major Gen (Rtd) Nandwa served in the military in various capacities, including as a defence attaché in Beijing, commanding officer of the 7KR and as commandant of the School of Infantry.
Former Chief of Defence Forces Gen Joseph Kibwana.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
He was also an observer in the UN Mission in Liberia and chief of staff to the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The three are among the latest names from the military and intelligence services who have recently been appointed to various posts in government previously held by civilians.
Other military men in government are Major General Mohamed Badi (Nairobi Metropolitan Services, NMS), Maj-Gen (rtd) Andrew Ikenye (Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company), Brigadier Vincent Naisho Loonena (director general, Kenya Coast Guard Service) and Brigadier John Migui Waweru (Kenya Wildlife Service ).
In June, the Kenya Defence Forces approved the secondment of seven military personnel to NMS.
Other than Maj Gen Badi, other officers at NMS are Brig Fredric Leuria, Major J V Mbithi, Major A N Nyakundi, Major J K Njoroge, Lt Col J K Biomdo and Major A L Musoma.
“The Defence Council approved secondment to Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) of the undermentioned general/senior officers,” read the letter signed by the Defence Council secretary, Dr Ibrahim Mohamed.
Brig Leuria, who is the deputy head of military intelligence, has been tasked with bringing sanity to Nairobi roads through supporting an efficient transport system, while the brains of Col Kuria will be picked in healing Nairobi’s sick healthcare system.
Former Chief of Defence Forces Gen Julius Karangi speaking during his handover ceremony at Department of Defence in Nairobi on May 4, 2015.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The list of former spies and military men in various senior government positions include Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji.
Anti-Corruption Commission CEO Twalib Mbarak and Director of Immigration Services Alexander Muteshi, who worked for the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Mr Haji, Mr Mbarak and Mr Muteshi served as deputy directors at NIS before their appointments. Mr Mbarak had served with the Department of Military Intelligence, before moving to NIS.
The National Multi Agency Command Centre, mandated to develop strategic preparedness and response involving all key players in the government in the fight against coronavirus, is also headed by a military man, Major General Ayub Matiiri.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Other ex-spies and military men in various government positions are Lt Col (Rtd) Bernard N Njiraini (MD, Kenya Bureau of Standards), Maj Gen (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa (PS, Public Works) and Charles Mukindia (chairperson, Firearms Licensing Board)
The Financial Reporting Centre boss Saitoti Maika began his career in the military before joining the NIS.
Former military commanders who serve as ambassadors include Maj Gen (Rtd) Joff Otieno (Egypt), Maj Gen (Rtd) Lucas Tumbo (Somalia) and Lt Gen (Rtd) Johnson Ondieki (Turkey).
In December, the President appointed Mr Nicodemus Ndalana, previously the assistant director in charge of border control at NIS, as the regional commissioner for North-Eastern.
