After four years in charge of Department of Defense, General Samson Mwathethe would have his term expiring on April 17th and would see him handover to the next boss should President Uhuru Kenyatta fail to give him an extension of one year as per KDF act.
But even as he exits, Mwathethe, a Navy man who is usually seen only during state functions, would go home still with several unanswered questions with regard to military operations and terrorism attacks that may have hit the country.
General Samson Mwathethe took over from vocal Julius Karangi, in April 17th, 2015, just two weeks after Garissa University attack that left over 147 students dead. It was the worst operation by suspected Al-Shabaab militants on Kenyan soil.
Even before that, Karangi's tenure saw Al-Shabaab militants storm at Westgate Mall where over 60 people were killed and Mpeketoni terror attacks in 2014 that also saw over 70 Kenyans killed in Lamu.
For Mwathethe, his first test in military came in January 2016. Suspected Al-Shabaab militants ran over a KDF camp in El Adde, a porous town found in Gedo region of Somalia. This was the worst attack by militants on Kenyan military.
It's believed that at least 200 soldiers who form a Company from 5th and 9th Battalion, lost their lives during the attack. Until now, no official report has been tabled to give exact account on what may have happened.
Just in January this year, suspected Al-Shabaab militants are also believed to have crossed over the border and butchered 21 people at DusitD2 Hotel in Nairobi. This also put the military intelligence team in an awkward position given the attack at the country's capital.
Last week, two Cuban doctors working in Mandera town were abducted by suspected Al-Shabaab militants. Despite heavy presence of military in the border town, it still remains unclear how the militants crossed over to Somalia with the two doctors.
But unlike his predecessor Julius Karangi, General Mwathethe has otherwise had a quiet stint at DoD. However, in 2017, he was criticised for commenting on the country's porous politics. He hails from Kilifi County.