On 11 May 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the swearing-in ceremony of General Robert Kariuki Kibochi as the new Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces (CDF) at State House, Nairobi.
General Kibochi takes over from General Samson Mwathethe, who retired after serving as CDF for five years. The new CDF was previously the Vice Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces.
Speaking during the ceremony, President Kenyatta commended the KDF for upholding merit and professionalism, which has enabled the institution to have a predictable and stable career management system for its officers, servicemen, and women.
“I commend the Cabinet Secretary and the Ministry of Defence team for ensuring a seamless transition. This signals our maturity in governance and a strong belief in the civil transfer of power, as envisaged in our constitution,” the President said.
President Kenyatta also called on other government institutions to emulate the KDF's established military succession system as a best practice.
General Kibochi was accompanied to State House by his wife, Mrs Tabitha Kariuki. The ceremony was attended by Defence Cabinet Secretary Dr Monica Juma, outgoing CDF General Samson Mwathethe, and Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, among others.
As part of their contribution to the national fight against Coronavirus, KDF donated Sh102 million to the Kenya Covid-19 Fund, money raised from voluntary salary cuts within the military.
