Chief of the General Staff (Kenya)

The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) is the highest-ranking military officer in the Kenya Defence forces and the principal military adviser to the President of the Republic of Kenya and the National Security Council. The CDF outranks all respective heads of each service branch and has operational command authority over the service branches. He leads the meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Service Commander, comprising the CDF, the Commander of the Kenya Army and Kenya Air Force, Kenya Navy and the Commandant of Military Intelligence. The CDF has offices in Ulinzi House.

The Office of Chief of Defence Forces(CDF) is considered very important and highly prestigious, because the CDF as a body has command authority over the Armed Forces. The chain of command is from the President (as the Commander in Chief), directly to the CDF. The CDF, as a Principal Adviser, does have authority over personnel assignments and oversight over resources and personnel allocated to the commands within the respective services. The Chairman may also transmit communications to the service commanders from the President. He also performs all other functions as assigned from time to time by the President. The CDF may also allocate those duties and responsibilities to other officers under his name.

The Defence Headquarters has two principal advisers: one military, the CDF; and one civilian, the Permanent Secretary. Neither of these is subordinate to the other. They share responsibility for much of the Military's business, reflecting the input that both military and civilian personnel make to policy, financial, administrative and operational matters.

The Current Chief of Defence Forces(CDF)
Gen Julius Waweru Karangi is the current CDF.