His Excellency Dr. William Ruto, the President of the Republic of Kenya and the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Kenya Defence Forces has today Friday, 10 March 2023 presided over the Commissioning Parade of General Service Officer Cadets Intake 10/23 and Graduate Officer Cadets intake 43/23 at the Kenya Military Academy (KMA), Nakuru.
The General Service Officer Cadets have undergone a three-year foundational military training while the Graduate Cadets trained for an year at the institution that encompassed intellectual and character development to prepare them for military leadership.
In his remarks, the Commander-in-Chief congratulated the newly commissioned officers for their endurance during the entire training period and urged them to abide by the oath of allegiance they undertook.
The Head of State implored on the officers to maintain the high standards set by the institution over the years as Kenyans look up to them to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic against any external aggression.
He affirmed that KDF has remained a firm, patriotic and professional force acknowledging that many have paid the ultimate price while discharging their mandate.
“I am encouraged that KDF through KMA continues to employ a futuristic approach to professional training to become progressively effective in a complex operational environment and to respond to diverse, rapid and evolving challenges,” said the C-in-C.
He challenged the young officers not to allow their ethic or religious diversity to deter them from serving Kenyans from all walks of life without fear or favour saying they are the ambassadors and advocates of unity in diversity.
The President noted that peace and security continues to dictate the regional agenda in the entire Horn of Africa as the region continues to pursue a rough neighborhood.
“I appreciate the many neighbouring countries that have sent cadets to train with us. This not only improves international security strategy but also enhances collective understanding of common security threats,” the President affirmed.
The President expressed his confidence in the military and other security agencies to stamp out banditry and cattle rustling by neutralizing any illegal or criminal act.
During the colourful commissioning ceremony, KMA Commandant Major General Fatuma Ahmed led the Commander-in-chief of the Defence Forces, in awarding cadets who excelled in various fields during the course of their training.
The best officer cadet in leadership and command, was Senior Under Officer (SUO) Samson Munyaka while SUO Jane Wangui was the best overall cadet in order of merit and they each received a sword of honour from H.E the President.Meanwhile, the best Allied Officer Cadet in order of Merit was Junior Under Officer (JUO) Edward Nyakangara from the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF).
The newly commissioned GSO officers have graduated under the revamped Bachelor of Science in Military and Security Studies programme, a unique undergraduate degree offered by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with Kenyatta University. The programme is designed to produce junior military leaders not just for the Kenya Defence Forces but also allied countries.
The allied cadets that trained with the KDF were drawn from Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
The President also visited the National Defence University Kenya (NDU-K) and Lanet Regional Hospital (LRH) to assess the progress of the two military facilities.
Those present during the ceremony include Defence Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Robert Kibochi, Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru, Vice Chief of Defence Forces (VCDF) Lieutenant General Francis Ogolla, Service Commanders, senior government officials, General Officers, Senior Officers, Officers, service members and their families.
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