The armed forces of the Republic of Kenya now commonly referred to as the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). It comprises of three services; the Kenya Army, Kenya Navy and Kenya Air Force.
The President of Kenya is the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces. The present KDF was established under Article 241 of the 2010 Kenyan constitution and is governed by the Kenya Defence Force Act of 2012.
The origin of KDF can be traced back from the last quarter of the 19th Century when efforts of the slave trade abolishment were at the peak. They hail from the King’s African Rifles that were formed to protect the British’s East Africa Protectorate whose main base was in Mombasa.
See also: Kenya Military Might; Focus On General Combat Equipment and Logistics
In 1902, the 3 King’s African Rifles (3 KAR) that was based in Mombasa moved to Nairobi and was joined by 5 KAR to help in curbing those that were resisting the British rule including fighting the MauMau rebellion.3 KAR and 5 KAR transformed to Kenya Military Forces at the night of Independence after the Independent Kenya Government took power laying the foundation of the present day Kenya Defence Forces. 1964 saw the creation of the Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy following the transition after independence.
The KDF is primarily tasked with defending the country against external aggression and any security threat on the Kenyan citizenry. Additionally they are supposed to coordinate with other authorities in disaster management and emergency situations.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is the commander-in-Chief; Raychelle Omamo is the Cabinet Secretary for Defence and Army General Julius W. Karangi is the Chief of the General Staff.
