Retired General Daudi Tonje, on Friday, May 5, welcomed the outgoing Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Robert Kibochi into the veteran’s club of the Kenya Defence Forces.
Tonje is famous for the Tonje Rules, which guide the promotion and retirement of senior military officers.
However, the former CDF, who retired in the early 2000s, did not address the military personnel.
In his speech, current CDF, Francis Ogolla, from the Kenya Air Force, praised Kibochi for his leadership and peace advocacy.
“The last act I will do before I invite him to speak is hand him the veterans’ card. He will use this card to access defence forces hospitals and defence forces shops.
“Without it, five years from now, the guards will be asking him mzee umetoka wapi (Mzee, where are you from)?” stated General Ogolla.
The veterans’ card is given to all retired soldiers in the KDF, allowing them to enjoy services from army facilities which include duty-free goods in KDF shops.
The farewell ceremony at the Ulinzi Complex in Nairobi was graced by Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale, former Defence CS Raychelle Omamo, former CDF Samson Mwathethe, and the current CDF, General Francis Ogolla.
“Serving for 44 years and ascending to become the tenth Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces is a huge favour and blessing from the Almighty God.
“I consider myself, therefore, very blessed and favoured to have had the opportunity to lead such a gallant professional institution in different capacities,” Kibochi stated in his farewell speech.
Kibochi, from the Kenya Army, handed over to General Ogolla. Tonje Rules state that the helm of the KDF should rotate through the three arms of the KDF, namely, Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force, and Kenya Navy.
The curtain closes on former CDF Kibochi’s 44-year career in the army. He rose to the highest office in the army, the Chief of Defence Forces.
On May 19, 1979, 20-year-old Robert Kibochi joined the army as a cadet and was the first CDF from the signals unit of the Kenya Army. All other CDFs from the army came from the infantry.
