Kenya has made a significant stride towards gender equality in its military with the appointment of Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed as the first female commander of the air force. This historic appointment marks her as the first woman to lead a branch of Kenya’s military services. The announcement came as part of a broader military leadership reshuffle prompted by the tragic loss of the previous chief of the armed forces and others in a helicopter crash last month, with General Charles Kahariri stepping into the newly vacated role.
Major General Ahmed’s military career is pioneering and distinguished by a series of groundbreaking achievements in a traditionally male-dominated arena. She first joined the military in 1983 as part of the Women Service Corps, an all-female unit that performed auxiliary roles such as administration, logistics, medical services, and communications. When this unit was disbanded in 1999, its members integrated into the primary military services—navy, air force, and army—thereby opening up more opportunities for women to advance in military careers.
The inclusion of women in the main branches of the military allowed trailblazers like Major General Ahmed to ascend through the ranks. She became the first woman in Kenya’s military history to be promoted to brigadier and then to major general. Her promotions were not just personal victories but also milestones for gender equality within the armed forces.
Reflecting on her promotion to major general in 2018, then-President Uhuru Kenyatta emphasized her role as a beacon for gender equality, urging her to “be a positive role model to women in this country” and to demonstrate that “there are no limits for women.” Major General Ahmed herself has spoken about the inspiration she drew from an uncle in the military, whose discipline and dedication influenced her from an early age. Despite facing discouragement from some family members who believed that the military was no profession for a woman, she was resolute in her ambition to carve out a successful military career.
Her journey and achievements underscore the evolving attitudes towards women’s roles in sectors historically dominated by men and highlight the ongoing efforts in Kenya to promote gender equality across all spheres of society.
