Kenyan president appoints new defense chief

JOHANNESBURG

Kenyan President William Ruto on Thursday appointed Charles Muriu Kahariri as defense chief, two weeks after the death of former military boss Gen. Francis Ogolla in a plane crash.

Gen. Ogolla was among 10 military officers who died when their military chopper crashed in a remote area of northwestern Kenya on April 18.

Ruto promoted Lt. Gen. Kahariri, who served as deputy to Ogolla, to the rank of general, the highest military rank in Kenya's defense forces.

The commander in chief of the armed forces also promoted John Omenda as vice chief of the defense forces and to the rank of lieutenant general.

Brig. Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed was promoted to the rank of major general and appointed as the new Kenya Air Force commander, the first female to hold the position in the East African nation's history.

Maj. Gen. Paul Owuor Otieno was named commander of the Kenya Navy.