NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 23 — President William Ruto has appointed former Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) General (Rtd.) Robert Kibochi as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Mwai Kibaki Referral Hospital, located in Nyeri’s Othaya town.
Kibochi, 65, will serve a three-year term starting November 22, 2024.
“IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by section 6 (1) (a) of the Mwai Kibaki Referral Hospital Order, 2024, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint GENERAL (RTD.) ROBERT KIBOCHI to be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Mwai Kibaki Referral Hospital, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 22nd November, 2024,” Ruto stated in Gazette Notice No. 15334.
General (Rtd.) Kibochi retired in April 2023 after serving as the CDF since May 2020, a role he assumed following his appointment by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Kibochi’s career in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) began on May 18, 1979, when he enlisted as an officer cadet. He completed Officer Cadet Training on March 30, 1980, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant before being posted to the Signals Battalion.
He held various key command and staff appointments, including Vice Chief of the Defence Forces, Commander of the Kenya Army, and Assistant Chief of Defence Forces responsible for Operations, Plans, Doctrine, and Training at Defence Headquarters (DHQ). Kibochi also served as Chief of Strategic Plans and Policy, Director of the International Peace Support Training Centre, and Commander of the Corps of Signals.
Additionally, he held roles such as Chief of Staff at the Eastern Africa Standby Force, Senior Operations Officer at the Kenya Army Headquarters, and Commander of Communications and Information Systems at DHQ.
Kibochi holds a PhD in Peace and Conflict Management, a Master’s Degree in International Studies, a Master’s Degree in Computer-Based Information Systems, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Electronics Engineering.
He has completed numerous professional courses, including National Security Studies at the National Defence College (Kenya), the Army Command and Staff Course (UK), and engineering courses in telecommunications and communications systems.
Kibochi also served as Commander of the Kenyan contingent in the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) from 2000 to 2001.
His honors include Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (EGH) and Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS), among others.
