Members of National Defense Council, the organ that determines changes in KDF, were divided over the succession of General Samson Mwathethe, whose Chief of Defense Forces tenure had expired in April, reports the Nation.
Last Friday, it emerged, NDC had agreed to have General Mwathethe's term extended by one year based on the fact that Kenya is in an active war with Al-Shabaab in Somalia. However, no communication was made after the meeting.
On Monday, a source said, a meeting meeting held at the Department of Defense resolved that Vice Chief of Defense Forces Lt General Robert Kibochi take over. Military officials in charge of transition were tasked to start preparing for the handing over ceremony.
But the preparations were stopped following a late meeting at State House on Monday, which was attended by all members of NDC and President Uhuru Kenyatta. The team reversed the initial decision and allowed Gen Mwathethe to serve for one year.
"H. E Uhuru Kenyatta, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of armed forces and the president of the Republic of Kenya, upon consultations with National Defense Council, extends General Samson Mwathethe's term for one year, effective May 6th," read the memo.
Both Lt General Robert Kibochi and AU-UN Humid Commander Lt General Leonard Ngondi were at pole position to succeed General Mwathethe given their ranking and experience in military.
According to military sources, National Defense Council struggled to make a decision on chosing between the two given their experience. But at some point, they settled on Kibochi before reversing the decision. President Uhuru Kenyatta is said to have made the final decision.
Even though his term was extended, General Mwathethe tenure as CDF has been controversial given increased attacks by Al-Shabaab within the country and in Somalia. In 2016, 200 KDF troops were killed in El-Adde by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.
“It will be difficult to pin-point outstanding achievements which can be associated with him,” Mr Edward Wanyonyi, a graduate of war studies from King’s College, London, says about the General.
Mwathethe,59, a Naval officer, will now retire formally from the military in 2020 and his successor will still come from Kenya Army given the Tonje rules. He served at some point as Navy Commander.