NAIROBI, Kenya, June 5— Ninety military officers from Kenya and 15 allied nations have successfully completed a rigorous 48-week Senior Joint Command and Staff Course at the Joint Command and Staff College (JCSC) in Karen, Nairobi.
The program is designed to equip mid-level officers with advanced leadership skills and strategic thinking capabilities.
The course prepares participants to effectively respond to contemporary security challenges at the operational level.
Of the 90 graduates, 69 were drawn from the three branches of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF)—the Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force, and Kenya Navy—while 21 were from allied countries.
The international participants hailed from Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ethiopia, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, JCSC Commandant Major General Eliud Kinuthia lauded the significance of the program, describing it as “not only pivotal for career progression but also central to building a dependable pool of well-rounded commanders and staff officers ready to shape the future of our defence forces.”
“They are now equipped with strategic insights, operational competence, and leadership qualities required for their new roles in various services, formations, and units,” he said, noting that the course achieved a 100 percent pass rate.
Maj. Gen. Kinuthia commended the graduates for their hard work, discipline, enthusiasm, and positive mindset throughout the course.
He further noted that this year’s intake was unique, as it marked the first-time officers from Somalia and Burkina Faso participated in the program.
The Senior Joint Command and Staff Course includes both military and academic modules aimed at enhancing participants’ ability to navigate today’s increasingly complex and dynamic security landscape.
Graduates are awarded either a Postgraduate Diploma or Diploma in Defence and Strategic Studies, depending on their entry qualifications.
The JCSC, formerly known as the Defence Staff College, was established in 1984 to train middle-level officers in preparation for higher command responsibilities.
Since its inception, the institution has evolved into a regional centre of excellence, particularly following the admission of international officers starting in 1990.
This strategic engagement has reinforced the college’s role in promoting regional security cooperation and strategic partnerships.
In 2022, the institution was renamed the Joint Command and Staff College to reflect its broadened, joint-service training mandate.
It now operates as a constituent college of the National Defence University – Kenya (NDU-K), under which the academic component is conducted.
In addition to the senior course, the college also offers a Junior Joint Command and Staff Course.
This program traces its roots to 1968 at the former Armed Forces Training College in Lanet (now Kenya Military Academy) and was formally brought under JCSC-Karen in the 2014/15 financial year.
To date, the junior wing has conducted 100 courses, with Course 101/2025 currently in session.
The centennial milestone was marked during the graduation of Course 100/25 on April 17, 2025.
With the graduation of Course 40/2024-25, the JCSC has now produced 1,764 graduates from its Senior Joint Command and Staff Course, including 412 officers from allied nations.
Present at the event were Defense Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya, Chief of Defence Forces General Charles Kahariri, Vice Chief of Defence Forces Lieutenant General John Omenda, Commander of the Kenya Army Lieutenant General David Tarus, Kenya Air Force Commander Major General Fatuma Ahmed, and Kenya Navy Commander Major General Paul Otieno.
