Major General Fatuma Ahmed Biography, Military Career, Promotions and Life

After completing secondary school in 1983, she returned to her hometown to obtain an identification card. While there, a military recruitment campaign was underway at a nearby stadium.

Curious about joining, she made inquiries and subsequently entered the Kenya Military Academy as an officer cadet in 1984.

Upon graduation, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Kenyan Women Service Corps.

Starting in 1985, she served alongside the Kenyan Air Force, primarily in human resources roles.

Ahmed holds a degree from the National Defence College and the Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies, as well as a diploma in management from Strathmore University.

When the Women Service Corps disbanded in 1999 and its personnel merged into the remaining Kenyan armed forces, she transferred to the Kenyan Air Force.

This change also lifted restrictions on marriage and pregnancy for former Corps members, and Ahmed later had three children.

Achievements and Historic Promotions

She served as deputy commander of a battalion and later as head of personnel at the Kenyan Air Force headquarters.

Ahmed’s promotion to brigadier on August 10, 2015, marked a historic milestone.

She became Kenya’s first female brigadier and was appointed managing director of the Defense Forces Medical Insurance Scheme.

On July 13, 2018, Ahmed was promoted to major general, making her Kenya’s first female major general.

Then, on May 2, 2024, President William Ruto promoted her to the position of Commander of the Kenya Air Force.

The promotion further solidified her legacy as the first woman to hold such a rank in the Kenya Defence Forces.

Personal Life

Major General Fatuma Ahmed, a pioneer in the Kenya Defence Forces, shares her life with Major General (Rtd) George Owinoh, also a seasoned military officer.

They have a family together. Following the disbandment of the Women Service Corps in 1999, which imposed constraints on marriage and pregnancy for its members, Major General Fatuma Ahmed went on to raise three children.

Quick Facts About Major General Fatuma Ahmed

1. Major General Fatuma Ahmed is a distinguished military officer in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
2. She was born in 1965.
3. Ahmed is married to Major General (Rtd) George Owinoh, also a veteran military officer.
4. She joined the military in 1984 as an officer cadet.
5. Ahmed was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Kenyan Women Service Corps in 1985.
6. She holds a degree from the National Defence College and the Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies.
7. Ahmed transferred to the Kenyan Air Force when the Women Service Corps disbanded in 1999.
8. She has served in various roles, primarily in human resources within the military.
9. Ahmed made history in 2015 by becoming Kenya’s first female brigadier.
10. In 2024, she achieved another milestone by becoming the first woman to hold the position of Commander of the Kenya Air Force.