The rise and rise of Maj-Gen Fatuma Ahmed, Kenya’s first woman service commander
Maj-Gen Fatumah Ahmed in a file photo. She makes history becoming Kenya's first ever female Air Force boss.
What you need to know:
- In 2023, Maj-Gen Ahmed was appointed Senior Directing Staff, Air, by President Ruto.
- It is said that Maj-Gen Ahmed’s joining the military was by accident
Major-General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed has made history by being named the first female service commander in Kenya.
President William Ruto on Thursday posted Maj-Gen Ahmed to the Kenya Air Force and appointed her commander, a major stride for the 58-year-old whose star has been rising since 2015.
Maj-Gen Ahmed, who joined the Kenya Defence Forces in 1983, replaces Maj-Gen John Mugaravai Omenda, who was promoted to Lt-Gen and appointed Vice-Chief of Defence Forces.
A cheerful and disciplined officer who laughs a lot, she was appointed Maj-Gen by President Uhuru Kenyatta in July 2018, marking an incredible feat for Kenyan women in the military.
She was also appointed assistant Chief of Defence Forces in charge of personnel and logistics.
In 2015, she made history by becoming the first woman to be appointed Brigadier.
Maj-Gen Ahmed joined the military aged 19 and worked under the Women Service Corps, a woman-only outfit that operated as a separate entity from the other arms of the defence forces.
In a past interview with the Nation, she described herself as an avid dancer who likes experiencing different cuisines. She was born and raised in Meru County.
It is said that Maj-Gen Ahmed’s joining the military was by accident as she found a recruitment exercise going on and decided to try her luck. She was successful.
Officers and soldiers who served in the Women Service Corps were later integrated into the Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy, enabling them to rise through the ranks.
President Uhuru Kenyatta decorates Maj. Gen. Fatuma Ahmed (centre) after she took oath of office as Assistant Chief of Defence Forces, Personnel and Logistics at State House, Nairobi. Photo | PSCU
Maj-Gen Ahmed was commissioned into the rank of Second Lieutenant in 1985 and posted to the Kenya Air Force in 1999.
In 2023, Maj-Gen Ahmed was appointed Senior Directing Staff, Air, by President Ruto. She has also served as a Battalion Second in Command.
Mother of three
The mother of three, who likes hanging out with young women and mentoring them, is also a staunch Muslim.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sustainable Human Resource Development from Tangaza University, a constituent of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
Maj-Gen Ahmed is also pursuing a Master’s degree from the same university.
She is also a graduate of the National Defence College and the Defence Staff College, where she graduated in July 2000.
She attributes her rise to discipline and hard work.
