• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Kenya Rank Structure

The rank structure of the Kenyan armed forces has been patterned on the British model. As part of the move to centralize administrative functions in the armed forces in 1968, the designation of officer grades and enlisted ranks of the three services was unified, adopting standard army titles with minor alterations. In 1978 the highest officer grade was major general, held only by the army commander. The highest air force grade was colonel, while the highest in the navy was lieutenant colonel. By 1983, however, an army general served as chief of the General Staff, a lieutenant general commanded the air force (although he was an army officer), and a brigadier headed the navy.

Before Independence, the ranks of the Kenya Air Force and those of the Kenya Navy were similar to those of the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. But following the change of command from Britain’s Maj Gen R. D. Benford to Maj Gen Ndolo as Kenya’s first native Chief of Defence Forces, the ranking system was changed to resemble that of the Army but left the badges of ranks insignia still similar to those of the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.

After August 1982, the Kenya Air Force badges of ranks were changed to resemble those of the Army. Kenya Navy, however, retained the Royal Navy insignia. At the time of the changes instituted by Major Gen Ndolo, the titles of the officers also changed from those previously used by the Royal Air Force.

Uniforms of the three services were similar to those of the British forces with certain distinctive details to lend a national character. Rank and insignia were generally identical except for use of the Kenyan shield where the crown appears on British forces' insignia. Uniforms were of tropical-weight cotton; the standard army dress was of khaki-colored twill, and the navy uniform featured the standard navy white with British-style blue trim on the flat headgear and the square collar.

After the 1982 coup attempt, air force uniforms were changed from the standard Royal Air Force blue to a lighter blue in the ceremonial uniforms and, in the service uniform, to a khaki color that some observers described as almost pink in tone.

Officers generally wore the same uniform as enlisted personnel but with certain distinctive features, such as the Sam Browne belt. For formal inspections or ceremonial occasions the standard army uniform was embellished with accessories such as white gloves and a field-green, visored service cap instead of the bush hat, beret, or helmet of the field uniform. On the anniversary of national independence in December 1980, thousands of Kenyans cheered wildly when Moi, for the first time in public, wore his dress uniform as commander in chief of the armed forces.