Kenya makes history in EAC with appointment of first-ever woman service commander

It was another first for women in the military, not only in Kenya but in the region.

Kenya Air Force Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed, a two-star General was appointed Thursday to lead Kenya's Air Force, becoming the nations and the region's first-ever woman service commander.

President Ruto's decision to appoint Major General Fatuma to lead the Kenya Air Force comes days after his Tanzanian counterpart, President Samia Suluhu, expressed her aspirations for Tanzania to have its first female Chief of Defence Forces by 2030 during recent celebrations of the union between Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The Swahili-speaking East African Country has no woman serving as a service commander but made history in March 2021 when President Suluhu became the country's first-ever female president and commander in chief of the defence forces.

In the regional context, none of the eight East African Community partner states had ever had a woman service commander until President Ruto's appointment.

The role of a commander is unlike any position in the civilian world, and almost any other in government.

Military officers have often been regarded as the embodiment of exceptional leadership.

Countless books, shows, and movies depict military leaders' incredible critical thinking skills, ability to function under pressure, and capacity to build exceptional teams capable of extraordinary achievements.

Every Airman makes a solemn promise to support and defend the Constitution of Kenya.

Commanders bear the burden of ensuring Air Force personnel comply with Kenyan law.

As a service commander, Major General Fatuma will shoulder the immense responsibility of ensuring that the Kenya Air Force remains mission-ready, and prepared to lead and conclude airborne operations effectively.

She will report to the newly promoted Chief of Defence Forces, four-star General Charles Kahariri.

She is the first-ever woman to serve as a service commander. Before her appointment, no woman had led either the Kenya Army or the Kenya Navy.

Her appointment was made at the same time the President promoted Lieutenant General Charles Muriu Kahariri to the rank of General and appointed him The Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF).

Fatuma's journey to this prestigious position began in 2015 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta promoted her to the rank of Brigadier, making her the first woman to reach such a rank in the Kenyan military.

With over 41 years of service, she initially enlisted in 1983 and served under the Women's Service Corps.

Her promotion to the rank of Major General in 2021 further solidified her remarkable career.

Fatuma was then posted to the National Defence College, where she served as the Senior Directing Staff Air—a position never before held by a woman in the male-dominated Kenyan military.

She is a distinguished graduate of the National Defence College, affiliated with the University of Nairobi's Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies.

Additionally, she is an alumna of the Defence Staff College and holds a Diploma in Management from Strathmore University College.

Her previous role as Assistant Chief of the Defence Forces in charge of personnel and logistics highlighted her exceptional leadership skills and paved the way for her groundbreaking appointment as the first female Air Force commander in Kenya.