A total of 52 senior military and state officials on Tuesday graduated from the National Defence College (NDC-K), adding to the country’s pool of strategic thinkers and policy advisors.
They graduated from a year-long course that equipped them with skills in strategy formulation and national/global security, which enable them to make strategic, informed decisions in their respective leadership roles.
Among the 52 was Defence CS Soipan Tuya, KDF officials, NIS officers, two senior Commissioners of Police, and senior civil servants drawn from the ministries of Interior, State House, Foreign Affairs, Treasury, Agriculture, Health as well as agencies like the Office of the Director Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
There were also 19 International graduands drawn from 16 African nations and across Asia, among them Uganda, Bangladesh, Namibia, Malawi, Burundi, Ethiopia, India, Rwanda, Botswana, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Tanzania, Zambia, and South Sudan, and the host Kenya, bringing the total to 71 graduands.
Speaking during the event held at the College’s main campus in Karen on Tuesday, Tuya noted that the rich diversity of her fellow graduands and those from the previous cohorts is one of the National Defence College’s greatest strengths.
“It reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of today’s security environment, where no nation can effectively confront emerging threats in isolation,” she said.
The graduands were presented with their certificates by the CS alongside the Chief of Defence Forces General Charles Kahariri, who was accompanied by the Vice Chief of Defence Forces and all the service commanders at the event.
CS Tuya also highlighted the growing participation of women in the coveted course, with this year attracting 16, both from the country and allied nations.
“In the next cohort, the college will expand its intake to accommodate growing national and international demand. We are also pleased to welcome new partner nations, namely, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Republic of Gambia, the Kingdom of Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates,” said the CS.
The college is set to get a major revamp with the scheduled opening of its new complex that was built in partnership with the United States.
“Plans are underway in partnership with the United States of America to finalise and hand over a modern National Defence College complex with world-class facilities to the institution,” said CS Tuya, whose research on “Integrating the Youth Bulge into Kenya’s Human Security Strategy, a Development Approach” will also contribute towards stabilising the country in the current times.
Following the event, the graduates are now authorised to append the designation (ndc-K) after their names in all official documentation.
Established in 1997 under the then General Daudi Tonje, the course has, over the years, produced a total of 1,050 graduands, 722 of whom are Kenyans and 38 from allied partner states.
“The National Defence College was founded for a noble purpose, that is to prepare Kenya’s senior military officers and senior civil servants alongside esteemed partners from allied nations for the weighty responsibilities of national security and public stewardship,” said Lt Gen Juma Mwinyikai, the Commandant of the College.
Since then, it has expanded its pool of learners to include state officials with a view to establishing a critical mass of strategic decision makers and policy advisers required of senior government officials.
A synchronous blended programme that will include critical players in the private sector has been formulated to expand access towards that expanded critical mass of strategic leaders.
The institution prides itself on having trained senior former generals, including the immediate former Chiefs of the Defence Forces, General Francis Ogolla, his predecessor Gen Robert Kibochi, General Samson Mwathethe, as well as General Jeremiah Kianga and General Julius Karangi.
Gen Kahariri has also served at the College as a Commandant.
Other civilian graduates from the school have gone to serve the public in senior leadership capacities as ambassadors, PSs, Director Generals and Heads of Disciplined Services.
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