Breaking Barriers: Meet Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed, First-Ever Female Commander in Kenya Air Force

Major General Fatumah Gaiti Ahmed scripted history by becoming Kenya’s first woman to be appointed as Air Force commander. Interestingly, she came into this profession by ‘chance’ and now has become a ‘trailblazer’ for everyone. She was appointed by Kenya’s President William Ruto. She is in charge of heading one of the military services in the East African country. Her prestigious post has indeed broken gender barriers for women in a male-dominated profession.

Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed Becomes Kenya’s First Female Air Commander

(Source: Twitter)

(Source: Twitter)

Born in 1965, Ahmed completed her education at Aga Khan High School in Nairobi. After her graduation in 1983, Major General Ahmed was assigned to the Women’s Services Corps, an organisation that functioned independently of the other branches of the armed forces. This corps provided support functions such as communication, logistics, medical and administrative work. In 1999, when the Women’s Services Corps was dissolved, its members were allowed to join the military services (army, navy and air force). This opened the door for more women to enter the military and advance through the ranks, an opportunity that Ahmed seized.

Her transfer to the Kenyan Air Force was something that she never planned. In an interview with African news outlet Nation in 2015, she said: “It was just an opportunity that presented itself and I decided to go for it.”

During her career, she went on to pursue 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. Ahmed’s determination and discipline led her to achieve significant milestones. In 2018, she received the rank of Major General, becoming the first woman to advance this position. Then-President Uhuru Kenyatta expressed his expectation that she would be a positive role model for women in the country and prove that there are no limits for women in the military service.

Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed’s achievements serve as an inspiration to women everywhere. She defied discouragement from some family members who believed that the military was not a suitable profession for women. Her determination to make a difference in her life propelled her forward, and she indeed became a trailblazer.