Meet Joyce Sitienei, Kenya’s Top KDF Officer Appointed DVC National Defence University

President William Ruto has promoted and appointed Brigadier Joyce Chelang’at Sitienei to the rank of Major General and named her Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC), Centre for Strategic and Security Studies at the National Defence University – Kenya (NDU-K).

Maj Gen Sitienei now becomes the highest-ranking woman in the military following the retirement of Kenya Air Force Commander, Major General Fatuma Ahmed.

Before her appointment, Major General Sitienei served as the Director of the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), a position she has held since 2021.

IPSTC was established in January 2001 as part of the Kenyan Defence Staff College. It initially focused on the training of Kenyan forces for UN peacekeeping missions and later African Union Peace Support Operations. 

Sitienei graduated from the Kenya Military Academy as an officer in 1995 and was immediately deployed to the Women’s Service Corps (WSC), a women-only unit of about 400 personnel tasked with auxiliary duties.

Major Gen Sitienei’s Professional Career and Achievements

In 1999, the WSC was disbanded, paving the way for women to serve in the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

She has extensive experience and training in instructional methodology and adult education techniques. 

Also Read: Ruto Makes Changes in KDF, Appoints New Army and Air Force Commanders

Since joining the military, Sitienei has held several key positions, including Unit Education Officer in the Women Service Corps and the 15 Kenya Rifles, as well as Instructor and Head of Distance Learning at the Defence Forces School of Higher Education.

She has also served in various roles at IPSTC, including Staff Officer II – Lessons Learnt, Head of Curriculum Design, Head of Applied Research, and Colonel in charge of Plans and Programmes.

In 2001, she worked in Rwanda as part of the Kenya Military Assistance Training Team (KMATT) and in 2002-2003 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a Military Observer.

During this time, she developed great interest in gender issues and went on to participate in gender training all over Africa on behalf of the IPSTC and the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre – Canada.

Since 2014, when she was a rising Lieutenant Colonel, Joyce Chelan’gat Sitienei has been a part of the Africa Center community.

Sitienei has served as a panelist, facilitator, and participant in various Africa Center programs, including those focused on peacekeeping operations, gender and security, parliamentary engagement, emerging security sector leaders, and more recently, senior professional military education.

Also Read: General Fatuma Ahmed; Meet Fearless First Female Kenya Airforce Commander

Awards and Education

She is a recipient of various honors, including the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS), as well as United Nations and other constitutional medals awarded for her service to the country.

In recognition of her contribution to women, peace, and security, she received the 2024 Kenya Trailblazer Award.

As Director of the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), she also served as the incumbent President of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC).

She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Kenyatta University, master’s degree in international studies from the University of Nairobi and a Post graduate Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies from the Africa Nazarene University.

Major General Sitienei is a mother of one child.

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