Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed becomes Kenya’s first ever female air chief

Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed is the first female Air Force Commander and the first woman to lead a military service in Kenyan history, elected by President William Ruto.

Ahmed’s appointment comes after last month’s helicopter disaster, which killed several people, including the military chief. She was appointed alongside other senior officials, such as a new head of the armed forces.

Major General Ahmed had already achieved several firsts in the male-dominated military leadership, including being the first woman to rise to the ranks of major general and brigadier general, according to the BBC.

When she enlisted in the Army in 1983, she was assigned to the Women’s Service Corps, an all-women organization that functioned independently of the other branches of the armed forces and performed support functions including communications, logistics, medical and administrative work.

When it was disbanded in 1999, members were allowed to join the major military services: army, navy and air force. This opened the door for more women to enter the military and rise through the ranks, an opportunity that Ahmed took advantage of.

In 2018, the pioneer received the rank of major general. Then-President Uhuru Kenyatta stated that he expected her to “be a positive role model for women in this country. Prove to them that there are no boundaries for women.”

According to the BBC, Major General Ahmed had previously stated that she was motivated by her uncle’s military service to also enlist, praising his discipline and dedication, which “shaped my life from a very early stage”.

She told Citizen TV in 2018 that some of her family members had discouraged her from joining the military, saying “that’s not a profession for women.”

“But I was determined to make a difference in my life,” she stated.