Lieutenant General David Tarus, the newly promoted Commander Kenya Army has officially taken over the mantle from Lieutenant General Peter Njiru during a Change of Guard ceremony held today at Ngao Gardens, Headquarters Kenya Army in Nairobi.

Lieutenant General David Tarus takes over as the 23rd Commander of the Kenya Army having served as the Deputy Army Commander for one year.

In his speech, Lieutenant General Njiru congratulated Lieutenant General Tarus on his appointment as the Commander Kenya Army. He further urged the service personnel present to accord the new Army Commander the requisite support vital for mission accomplishment.

“It is an honour to have worked with you and shared the same vision to empower Kenya Army. I know your dedication and focus will be instrumental at fulfilling the Kenya Army Mandate. To achieve all what I was able to deliver, I sought to mobilize the knowledge, experience and capabilities of all Army personnel,” he noted.

He also thanked the service personnel for their resilience in discharging their duties reminding them to uphold professionalism and integrity.

“I applaud every soldier for their dedication. Always be guided by integrity and be fully committed as you execute your duties. Remember that the true measure of any commander’s success is not how well he or she performs but how well the force performs,” he guided.

Lieutenant General Tarus conveyed sincere gratitude to the outgoing Commander for his legacy and leadership while at the helm of the Kenya Army and promised to uphold the same qualities as he takes over. He further appreciated the enormous contributions of his predecessor at fostering mission readiness.

“It is a privilege to find myself following the footsteps of a great leader. Thank you for the exemplary leadership and mentorship. As I assume the leadership of the Kenya Army, I am confident that I have a mission capable force which with my leadership will scale to even greater heights,” he noted.

In his final remarks, Lieutenant General Tarus promised to strengthen the Kenya Army’s capabilities to ensure that troops are well equipped to achieve their Mandate.

“I am proud of what the Kenya Army has become and am grateful for the many who have served before us and on whose shoulders we stand today. Enhancing force competencies and capabilities is my priority as I take over leadership today,” he promised.

Also present during the ceremony were Commandant National Defence College Lieutenant General Juma Mwinyikai, Deputy Army Commander Maj Gen Mohamed Hassan, General Officers, Formation Commanders, Senior Officers, Officers, Service Members, MWAK officials and Headquarter Kenya Army staff.