Former Chief of the Defence Forces General (Rtd) Robert Kibochi has documented his 44-year military career in a new memoir, detailing his rise from a young Signals Corps officer to become Kenya’s 10th KDF commander.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Kibochi launched Arrowhead on Friday, September 25, in an event attended by senior military officers, retired servicemen, family and friends, including Chief of the Defence Forces General Charles Kahariri and former Defence Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo.

Kibochi joined the military in 1979 as a trade cadet and rose through the ranks before becoming the first officer from the Signals Corps to attain the rank of full General and command the Kenya Defence Forces.

His career came as the military increasingly placed greater emphasis on communications, technology and information capabilities in its operations, areas closely associated with his professional background in the Signals Corps.

📌 What You Need to Know

Kibochi also pursued academic studies alongside his military career , earning a Doctorate in Peace and Conflict Management and becoming the first serving CDF in Kenya to hold a PhD.

He served in several command and staff positions in Kenya and abroad, including a deployment under the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, where he gained experience in multinational peace operations.

Kibochi later served as CDF from May 2020 to May 2023, during which he championed initiatives focused on modernising the Defence Forces, improving operational readiness and strengthening training across the Services.

Speaking at the launch, General Kahariri described Arrowhead as a contribution to Kenya’s military history and urged serving and retired officers to document their experiences for future generations.

“The experiences, decisions and lessons of our military leaders must be documented,” Kahariri said, calling for the creation of what he described as a lasting “vault of wisdom” for future generations.

Omamo also described the memoir as more than a personal account , saying it offered an opportunity to preserve aspects of Kenya’s military heritage while highlighting Kibochi’s career in service, scholarship and leadership.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke