The recent promotion of two senior officers from the Luhya community to key Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) roles has been described as a historic milestone by ODM communications director Philip Etale.
The appointments mark the first time Luhya officers have held positions such as Vice Chief of Defence Forces (VCDF) and a service commander, positions that had eluded the community for decades.
In a statement on X, Etale acknowledged that while Luhya politicians have previously occupied senior government posts — including in the Defence Ministry — none had attained top military command.
He praised President William Ruto for breaking what he described as longstanding ethnic barriers, citing the appointments of Lt. Gen. John Omenda as VCDF and Maj. Gen. Bernard Waliaula as Commander of the Kenya Air Force.
“Some politicians from my community served in senior government positions, including the Defence Ministry, but never did they have a single deserving man or woman from the community rise to the position of Vice CDF in the KDF or even a Service Commander. I think we have to give it to President Ruto for rubbishing the late JJ Kamotho’s assertion that Luhya people can only be cooks and watchmen,” Etale said.
Historically, the Luhya community has had representation in civilian leadership within the Defence Ministry. Eugene Wamalwa, from Trans Nzoia County, served as Cabinet Secretary for Defence from September 2021 to October 2022, illustrating political participation at the ministerial level.
However, operational leadership within the KDF remained largely inaccessible until the recent appointments.
By placing officers from a historically under-represented community in senior positions, the government signals a potential shift toward equitable ethnic representation in the military’s leadership structure.
The move is further seen as reinforcing confidence in the military as a professional institution that rewards competence over ethnic or regional background.
Lt. Gen. Omenda and Maj. Gen. Waliaula’s promotions follow a series of strategic leadership changes in the KDF under President Ruto’s tenure, reflecting a trend of appointments intended to balance both operational efficiency and broader community representation.