One of the army regulations that many are familiar with is the requirement that female recruits must not be pregnant during recruitment.
However, unknown to many, the Kenya Defence Forces restricted female soldiers from marrying due to the inconvenience of juggling between family life and the military career.
This was until 1999 when General Daudi Tonje allowed women soldiers serving under the Women Service Corps (WSC) to marry.
[caption caption="General (Rtd) Daudi Tonje visiting the Kenya Military Academy (KMA)"]
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As the Retired Kenyan Chief of General Staff (CGS), Tonje also introduced measures to professionalize the disciplined force by ensuring that promotions in the army were pegged on academic performance.
Known for the reforms he introduced in the army during his tenure between November 1996 and 2000, General Tonje is also said to have cut down corruption in the military's procurement by ninety percent since he took over as CGS within his four-year term at the helm.
This was achieved by cutting down the purchase of military kits and also by ensuring that older equipment that had been already acquired lasted longer.
Interestingly, Tonje made the military cuts without affecting the efficiency of the military or affecting the national stability.
Other achievements introduced by General Tonje include disbandment of Women Service Corps which since its inception in 1971 not only prohibited female soldiers from getting married but also required that those who got pregnant be dismissed.
Besides, he is credited with the establishment of Defence Staff College, Nairobi and The Kenya Military Academy (KMA) in Lanet, Nakuru.
[caption caption="General Daudi Tonje visiting KMA in November 2017"]
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The General also introduced a four-year appointment routine as well as the adoption of "maneuver warfare" tactic by the Kenyan army.
