Major General Fatuma Ahmed Gaiti has finally hung up her boots after over decades of service in the Kenyan military.
The pinnacle of her career was her appointment as the first woman major to command a branch of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) She was appointed Commander of the Kenya Air Force in May 2024.
President William Ruto appointed Major General Bernard Waliaula to succeed Gaiti at the Kenya Air Force Eastleigh headquarters as the service’s commander.
While taking over from Gaiti, Waliaula lauded her for her exemplary service in the force ever since he joined.
“I thank the outgoing commander for her dedicated leadership. To the newly promoted officers, this is a call to greater responsibility.
“I urge you to remain focused, uphold professionalism, and serve with integrity,” Waliaula said.
Before she was appointed the Kenya Air Force chief, Gaiti served as the Senior Directing Staff Air at the National Defence College.
She was first commissioned as a military officer in 1985 after completing officer training at the Kenya Military Academy (KMA), two years after joining the army.
Gaiti would then rise the ranks gradually to serve in various capacities that entail leadership, management, and command.
Her career includes a long tenure as a staff officer from December 1999 to July 2015, during which she attained the rank of colonel.
Between 2005 and 2008, she also worked as a training officer with the United Nations Integrated Training Service in New York.
Earlier, she served as a military observer in the MONUC peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2001 to 2002.
In July 2015, she advanced to the rank of brigadier and was appointed as the managing director of the Defence Forces Medical Insurance Scheme.
Her steady rise continued in July 2018 when former president Uhuru Kenyatta promoted her to the major general rank, and consequently appointed her the Assistant Chief of Defence Forces in charge of personnel and logistics.
Gaiti would later be charged with leading the Kenya Military Academy as its commandant, a post she held for two years between 2021 and 2023.
Alongside her career was a strong educational background. Gaiti holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Human Development and is advancing her academic journey with a Master’s degree in Social Transformation at Tangaza University College.
Additionally, she completed a Diploma in Management at Strathmore University, further strengthening her leadership and administrative expertise.
Her distinguished service has earned her numerous honours, such as the Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS), the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW), and the Operation Linda Nchi Campaign Medal, among other commendations.
(TUKO)
