Kianga caught up in new army succession battle

By Juma Kwayera

The decision to raise retirement age in the Civil Service from 55 to 60 years was necessitated by imminent changes in the military, The Standard on Sunday can reveal.

Consequently, March 4, when the rule came into force, could be the trump card the President needed to retain his most loyal military commanders well beyond his second five-year tenure.

Sources privy to the deal announced by Public Service Minister Dalmas Otieno last week, say while the public was hoodwinked by the initiative to harmonise terms of service in East Africa, the real drama is being played out in the military, whose loyalty is critical to the outcome of the 2012 General Election.

Chief of the General Staff, Gen Jeremiah Kianga, addresses journalists on the Migingo Island row, last week. His tenure ends in six months. Photo: File/Standard

The desire to place the ‘right’ person at the helm of the military became urgent given the uncertainty in the Grand Coalition and growing ethnic and political divisions. Even more urgent is the desire to neutralise effects of intra-party discordance that have stoked anxiety in the Kibaki succession.

The Chief of General Staff, General Jeremiah Kianga, whose contract was extended in 2007 for two years, is set to exit in August. His imminent departure has inevitably precipitated jostling for positions at the summit of the military hierarchy. His deputy, Lieutenant-General Julius Karangi, The Standard on Sunday was reliably informed, is poised to replace him.

Contacted on Saturday, the Department of Defence (DoD) spokesman Bogita Ongeri, said there were no changes in the offing, adding the retirement of senior officers was not an emergency.

"Kianga’s initial four year term is expected to end in September. However, the President extended his term by two more years, which means he will serve up to 2011," Ongeri said.

But he could not explain why the President extended his contract in 2007 when he still had two more years on his tenure.

Quarterly meetings

Assistant Minister for Defence Joseph Nkaissery, while denying knowledge of looming changes, did not rule out the possibility of the retirement age of the senior officers being on agenda of the next Defence Council — the top decision making body in the military — meeting.

"The Defence Council is supposed to meet quarterly to make crucial decisions on recruitment, promotions and appointments. The council has not met this year because there is no agenda. But after the announcement of the changes in the Civil Service we expect the retirements in the military to be on agenda at the next meeting," Nkaissery, who is Kajiado Central MP, said.

At the centre of the changes Head of Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura mooted, is the Kibaki succession wars that are rife with deep ethnic suspicions and intrigues.

The Prime Minister’s office denied knowledge of anything untoward in changes in the Civil Service.

Ongeri described information about changes expected around August as farfetched, adding the Military Defence Council was not expected to meet soon.

"Only the chairman — Defence Minister Yusu Haji — can convene such a meeting. However, it is the prerogative of the President to pick the CGS and that does not necessarily mean the vice CGS is in line for succession," the military spokesman said.

Lt Gen Julius Karangi

ODM leader and Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s recent observation that his party had not benefited from the Coalition had more to do with the tightening of grip on the reins of power by the clique around Kibaki. This clique is reputed to make important official decisions.

A highly placed source says the departure of Kianga and expected elevation of Karangi — a Kibaki confidante — is designed to consolidate the clique’s grip on power.

"The situation is dicey and promises to get uglier as the succession wars intensify. The desire to manage transition after the 2012 polls is top on the minds of the Cabinet committee on security and defence," the source, a member of the uniformed team that regularly briefs the Cabinet committee on defence and national security, says.

Contacted, the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and National Security Adan Keynan, said change of guard was in the offing, but would not give the exact date.

"These are some of the issues we are discussing, but I cannot speculate on when this would take place. The rules of the House bar me from divulging any information on matters still under discussion," said Keynan. But the Wajir West MP was noncommittal on Kianga’s future at DoD.

At the time Kianga was due for retirement, some officers who were in line to succeed him were either redeployed or retired, to clear the way for Karangi to succeed him.

Review the law

"The extension of his (Kianga’s) contract was itself controversial. We are meeting soon to discuss the Civil Servants’ retirement age and how it affects security forces," Keynan said.

As a pointer to the unease over who should be in charge of the military, Nkaissery, an ODM lawmaker and a retired Major-General, said the current system of picking the CGS is prone to abuse as ethnicity and cronyism prevail over merit, integrity and professionalism.

"There is need to divorce military service from the Executive totally so that when the tenure of the Chief of General Staff expires he leaves. Now, the CGS serves at the pleasure of the President, which encourages impunity. We need reforms in the military service that make it subservient to the Constitution and not the President," he said.