Back Kenya Defence Forces German Fuerzas de Defensa de Kenia Spanish نیروهای دفاعی کنیا Persian Kenian puolustusvoimat Finnish Forces de défense du Kenya French צבא ההגנה של קניה HE Kenya hadereje Hungarian Kenya Defence Forces Italian 케냐 국방군 Korean Силы обороны Кении Russian

Kenya Defence Forces

For the colonial-era formation known as the Kenya Defence Force, see Kenya Regiment.

Kenya Defence Forces
Majeshi ya Ulinzi ya Kenya
Coat of arms of the Kenya Defence Forces
Flag of the Kenya Defence Forces
Service branches Kenya Army
 Kenya Air Force
 Kenya Navy
Websitemod.go.ke
Leadership
Commander-in-ChiefPresident William Ruto
Defence Cabinet SecretarySoipan Tuya
Chief of Defence ForcesGeneral Charles Muriu Kahariri
Vice Chief of Defence ForcesLt. Gen. John Mugaravai Omenda
Personnel
Military age18
Active personnel50,000[1]
Expenditure
BudgetKSH1,097,000,000 ($7,714,486.639 July 27)(FY2018/19)[2]
Percent of GDP1.5%
Industry
Domestic suppliersKenya Ordnance Factories Corporation
National Security Industries Ruiru[3]
Foreign suppliers China
 India
 Pakistan
 Uganda
 Netherlands
 United Kingdom
 United States
Related articles
HistorySecond World War (as King's African Rifles) (1939–45)
Malayan Emergency (1948–60)
Mau Mau Revolt (1952–60)
After Independence Shifta War (1963–67)
Mount Elgon insurgency (2005–08)
Operation Linda Nchi (2011–12)
War in Somalia (2012–present)
Kivu conflict (2022–present)
RanksMilitary ranks of Kenya

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) (Swahili: Majeshi ya Ulinzi ya Kenya, stylized as "KENYA ARMED FORCES" capitalized on its coat of arms) are the armed forces of the Republic of Kenya. They are made up of the Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, and Kenya Air Force. The current KDF was established, and its composition stipulated, in Article 241 of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya; it is governed by the KDF Act of 2012.[4] Its main mission is the defence and protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kenya, recruitment to the KDF is done on yearly basis.[5] The President of Kenya is the commander-in-chief of the KDF, and the Chief of Defence Forces is the highest-ranking military officer, and the principal military adviser to the President of Kenya.

The Defence Forces, like many Kenyan government institutions, has been tainted by corruption. Because the military have been traditionally cloaked by the blanket of "state security", the corruption has been less in public view, and thus less subject to public scrutiny and notoriety. But in 2010, credible claims of corruption were made with regard to recruitment,[6] and procurement of Armoured Personnel Carriers.[7] The decision on the Northrop F-5 "Tiger" aircraft procurement have been publicly questioned.[8] In 2015, credible allegations were made that the KDF is involved with sugar smuggling from southern Somalia into Kenya, to avoid import dues.[9]

The KDF is regularly deployed in peacekeeping and warfighting missions, for example the counter-insurgency fight against Al-Shabaab in Somalia since 2011.

  1. ^ "Murmurs in KDF after salaries deducted for hunger kitty". 30 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Kenya broke new record in defense spending". Army Recognition. May 2019.
  3. ^ "Kenya opens rifle factory". janes.com.
  4. ^ Ministry of Defence. "Kenya Defence Forces Act – No. 25 of 2012". National Council for Law Reporting. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Kenya Defence Forces Recruitment Dates 2020". Kenyadmission. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Activists give military 5 days to re-admit recruit :: Kenya – The Standard". Standardmedia.co.ke. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Sh1.6 billion tender scandal rocks DoD :: Kenya – The Standard". Standardmedia.co.ke. 25 October 2010. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Kenya's 'new' fighter jets cannot take off: Kenya – The Standard". Standardmedia.co.ke. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  9. ^ "The Kenyan army is accused of running a sugar-smuggling racket with Somali terrorists". The Economist. 23 November 2015. and Petrich Cows, Charcoal, and Cocaine: Al-Shabaab's Criminal Activities in the Horn of Africa

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