The recent military promotions led to deployment of Lt. Col Timothy Stelu as the new Aide-de-Camp to President Uhuru Kenyatta, a military source has revealed.
A tweet by Presidential Strategic Communication Unit (PSCU) revealed the latest changes effected by Kenya Defence Forces in consultation with National Security Council.
"President Uhuru Kenyatta has a new Aide-de-Camp. Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Stelu Lekolool, drawn from the Kenya Navy. Welcome to State House Kenya," read the tweet.
And according to an insider, Lt. Col Victor Mburu, who has been in charge since August 2017, was promoted to the rank of Colonel and subsequently deployed to Defense Headquarters.
Last year, former military spokesman Bogita Ongeri said such changes are effected after as a span of three years but sometimes can come early due to age or military promotions.
"He was among those promoted to the rank of Colonel thus deployment to DoD.
"We have internal rules popularly know as Tonje laws which stipulates that only a Lt. Colonel can guard president. When you are promoted, basically you relinquish the assignment," the source said.
Notably, Mburu, who was picked from Kenya Army, only served for almost 12 months, the shortest ever in KDF history.
The succession of Kenyan leadership in 2013 saw Col Peter Njiru overstay in the duty having partly guarder President Mwai Kibaki before being replaced in 2017 by Mburu.
Also, the delay in military promotions informed KDF's decision to allow him serve Uhuru for four years.
Lt. Col Timothy Stelu becomes the first ever Aide-de-camp to be drawn outside Kenya Army since he hails from Navy wing.
He will be acting as the president's personal assistant, bodyguard besides performing functions such as opening his official car's door and carrying his speeches to functions.
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