Kenya Air Force

At independence, the Ministry of Defence was referred to as the Ministry of Internal Security and Defence. The Ministry of Internal Security and Defence encompassed the military, police and prison. During this period, there were only 21 civilians spread over the Kenya Army, the Kenya Air Force, the Kenya Navy, the Kenya Police and Prisons. After independence in 1963, an Act of Parliament (KMF Act-Cap 198), created the Kenya Military Forces and the following year in 1964 Prisons and Police were transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In 1966, the Police Department was further transferred from the Home Affairs docket to the Office of the President. In 1968 an Act of Parliament repealed Chapter 198 which had created the Kenya Military Forces and replaced it with Chapter 199 of the Laws of Kenya creating the Kenya Armed Forces. Defence remained as the Ministry of Defence until 1980. The Ministry has changed names since independence through Executive Orders of the President that spells out names of Ministry’s. It has been referred to as: The Ministry is headed by the Cabinet Secretary who is responsible to the President and Commander – in – Chief and Parliament on matters of policy. The Cabinet Secretary is appointed by the President and chairs the Defence Council which is responsible for the overall control and direction of the Kenya Defence Forces. The promulgation of the new Constitution 2010 created the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to be headed by the Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF). The Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF) is the professional head of the three Kenya Defence Forces Services and the Principal Military Advisor to the Commander – in – Chief. The CDF is the principal advisor to the President and Cabinet Secretary on any military, operational and administrative matters within the competence of the Chief of the Defence Forces. Subject to the general direction of the Defence Council chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, the CDF is responsible for the control, direction and general superintendence of the Defence Forces. The Principal Secretary is the accounting and authorized officer on financial and administration matters of the Ministry of Defence. He/she is also personally accountable to Parliament for the expenditures of all public moneys provided for the Ministry of Defence. Civilians who work in the Ministry play a complementary role to enable the KDF concentrate on their core functions. Over the years, the civilian personnel strength rose from 200 people in 1961 to over 2000 human resource in 2020. They provide different services in support of the Defence Forces ranging from Policy, Administration, Financial Management, Public Communications to Human Resource Management, Medical and Technical Services. Magana Njoroge Mungai, M.D. EGH (January 7, 1926 – August 16, 2014) was a Kenyan Cabinet Minister, Member of Parliament, doctor, businessman, farmer, politician, nationalist and one of the founding fathers[1] of the Republic of Kenya. He was the minister for Internal Security and Defence during the year In 1964, he presented a Bill for the House of Representatives to ratify the provision to establish the African Development Bank. After independence, Gichuru was also at the centre of talks between Kenyan and British officials on the take-over of one million acres of mixed farmland owned by Europeans to resettle landless Africans. Towards the end of the Kenyatta rule, Gichuru was the Minister for Defence. When Moi took over from Kenyatta, Gichuru retained the position. But the minister developed health problems from the early 1970s and he even went for medical treatment abroad. In March, 1982, Njonjo castigated Gichuru’s opponents in his Limuru constituency for alleging that he was finished politically. Gichuru died in August 1982. Those who sent condolence messages had good things to say about Gichuru. Waiyaki, a Cabinet colleague, said: “Few men in the country are as honourable, brave and steadfast as Gic