Lieutenant Colonel Faith Mwagandi has become the first female senior officer to lead a military Guard of Honor.
Kenya Defence Forces announced the notable highlight as the country marked Mashujaa Day celebrations on Sunday.
“Lt. Col. Mwagandi’s trailblazing career began when she joined the KDF in 2007. She then made history as the first female Warship Commander in East Africa, taking command of the Kenya Navy Ship (KNS) Shujaa from 2019 to 2022,” read a statement from KDF.
Her journey in the force began in 2007 when she joined the Kenya Military Academy in Lanet. Over time, she attained a diploma in Military Science and would later after attain another degree from Egerton University.
Notably, the coastal native became the first woman to command a warship in Kenya, She currently serves as Staff Officer 1 (SO1) in charge of Personnel and Administration at the Kenya Navy.
Her extensive experience includes training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in the UK and serving on various Kenya Navy vessels such as KNS Galana, KNS Shupavu, and KNS Shujaa. She also contributed significantly as an instructor at the Kenya Navy Training School and as a navigating officer on RV Mtafiti.
She served as the Principal Warfare Officer during a critical voyage to the Netherlands for the midlife refit of KNS Shujaa.
Lt. Col. Mwagandi is an alumna of Moi Girls Eldoret and briefly attended Kenyatta University.
She switched to a military career after spotting a newspaper advertisement for KDF cadet recruitment, a decision that set her on a path to break barriers. She currently serves as Staff Officer 1 (SO1) in charge of Personnel and Administration at the Kenya Navy.
