Former National Defence University-Kenya Vice Chancellor Major General ( Rtd) Mohamed Said Farah ( Photo Courtesy)
At one point, former National Defence University-Kenya Vice Chancellor Major General ( Rtd) Mohamed Said Farah, was considered as one of the front runners to rise to the helm of the Kenya Defence Forces.
With a General from the Kenya Navy set to take over from General Francis Ogolla as Chief of Defence Forces, Major General Farah was surely one of the front runners for the position.
General Ogolla who was from the Kenya Air Force, was expected to retire in 2025 after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 62 years for officers of his rank. This is in line with the Tonje Rules which have been guiding KDF operations for the last two decades.
But as fate would have it, General Ogolla died while in office in a tragic helicopter crash.
Earlier, in the changes made by President William Ruto in March 2024, Major General ( Rtd) Farah was overlooked as the Head of State promoted Lieutenant General Charles Kahariri as the Vice Chief of Defence Forces and former Kenya Navy Commander Major General Jimson Mutai to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed him as the new Vice Chancellor of the National Defence University-Kenya.
General Kahariri would go on to become the new CDF in place of General Ogolla.
As for Major General Farah, the once Director of Military Intelligence, he spent some one month in the political cold before bouncing back in style in the changes made by Ruto in May 2024.
The seasoned naval officer was appointed as the new director of the Kenya Shipyards Limited as a successor to Major General Paul Owuor Otieno who was appointed as Kenya Navy Commander. And yes, it was a remarkable comeback for the veteran seaman.
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nation.africa/kenya/news/vice-kdf-chief-for-55-days-first-woman-service-commander-how-ruto-made-twin-history-with-appointments-4611328&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjS34izjZCHAxWIhf0HHZSqD-oQFnoECAUQAg&usg=AOvVaw3IyYrRi4yW36aAgLsLkEDa
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ndu.ac.ke/maj-gen-s-m-farah-cbs-rcds-uk-psc-ug&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjS34izjZCHAxWIhf0HHZSqD-oQFnoECAkQAg&usg=AOvVaw0rBOFGkH9WDlSn6fIhdmyA