Commandant Armed Forces Training College

Major General Geoffrey Lukale Okanga; EBS “ndc(K)” ; “psc(K)”; Dip IS ;Kenya Air Force

Major General Geoffrey Lukale Okanga, a Kenya Air Force fighter pilot, is currently the Commandant of the Armed Forces Training College (AFTC) – Lanet in Nakuru. Previously he was the Assistant Chief of General Staff in charge of Operations, Doctrine, Systems and Training at the Defence Headquarters in Nairobi, before which he served as the Director of Military Intelligence, a Senior Directing Staff (SDS) Air at the National Defence College of Kenya; the Chief of Audit at the Defence Headquarters; the Kenya Defence Adviser in London and Paris, and as the Military Assistant (MA) to the Chief-of-General Staff. He also served with United Nations Mission in Iran – Iraq (UNIIMOG 1988 -1989).

Major General Okanga was born in Kakamega , Kenya ; and is married to Mrs Rosemary Muthoni Okanga, with two sons and one daughter.

Major General Okanga's military career progression begun with commissioning in the Kenya Air Force as a flight Second Lieutenant on 13 September 1976. He proceeded to USA , for further Pilot Training on the T-37/T-38 aircraft, graduating as fast jet pilot in August 1978. He returned to Kenya for further Fighter Pilot Training on the F5 aircraft where he rose to become the Standards Squadron Pilot.

After a short stint as Staff Officer grade three (SO3) at Operations Centre Kenya Air Force Headquarters, he went to College of Air Warfare (CAW) in India, and to Project Development Management (PDM) at Kenya Institute of Administration (KIA), and served as the Base Adjutant and Base Operations Officer at Laikipia Air Base.

His first major overseas assignment came as Second-in-Command of Kenya Contingent to United Nations - Iran/Iraq (UNIIMOG) between 1988 and 1989 in Teheran. It was here he was awarded Nobel Peace Prize, collectively with other Uniimog members, in 1989. On return to Kenya , he attended Kenya 's Defence Staff College Grade Two Staff Training between August 1990 and July 1991. On completion, he was promoted to Lt Colonel and appointed Staff Officer Grade One, in-charge of Defence Headquarters Training branch; and later, the Military Assistant (MA) to Chief-of-General Staff between June 1993 and November 1995.

On promotion to Colonel, he was appointed Kenya 's Defence Adviser to London/Paris between 12 August 1996 and 0 1 November 2000 , and later, to Brigadier and appointed the Chief of Audit – DOD HQs. He proceeded to Kenya 's National Defence College - Karen in 2003 for strategic training. It was on completion of this course that he was awarded the graduate of National Defence College of Kenya “ndc(K)” and a Diploma in International Studies ( Dip IS ) from University of Nairobi , and promoted to the rank of Major General as Senior Directing Staff at the College. In Dec 2004, he was appointed the Director of Military Intelligence and in Aug 2005 as the Assistant Chief of General Staff in charge of Operations, Doctrine, Systems and Training, and later as the Commandant Armed Forces Training College, the current appointment.

His awards and decorations include: United Nations Nobel Peace Prize, Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear “MBS;“ and the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear “EBS”. He speaks English, Kiswahili and Luhya. He enjoys competitive cycling.