Military must shift to strategic thinking – Omamo

By SIMON NDONGA | May 30, 2013

One of the officers who graduated gets congratulated/CFM

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 30 – Defence Secretary Raychelle Omamo has called on military leaders in the Eastern and Central African region to be strategic thinkers.

Omamo said that they should not only be able to identify challenges but come up with solutions for them.
She was speaking during a graduation ceremony at the National Defence College where 41 senior military officials and civil servants graduated in the study of national security.

“Success in your respective future careers will depend on the choices that you will make. The strategy is about making choices; it is about making trade-offs and it is about assessing options and finally choosing what not to do. That is the trick. There is currently a great need for strategic thinkers in Kenya,” she said.

She urged the graduates to utilise their newly acquired knowledge in the planning and management of national and regional security.

“Africa desires those who have the capacity not only to identify and isolate problems but also those who have the intellectual capability to develop the means through which our pressing challenges can be surmounted,” she stated.

She expressed confidence that the course would be helpful especially when the military heads were making difficult decisions.

“I trust that this course has inspired you to become disciplined, insightful and courageous decision makers and that you will endeavour to see opportunity even in circumstances of great difficulty. More than this, I hope that you will be those beacons of light that will illuminate the path toward greater excellence and efficiency within the Defence Forces throughout Africa,” she said.

“May the road rise up to meet you; may the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm on your faces and the rains fall soft upon you fields. Let your journey from this college into your future be truly blessed,” she encouraged them.

The class referred to as course 15-2012/13 comprised of military officers and senior civil servants from Botswana, Burundi, Egypt, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

On successful completion of the course, the participants were awarded the National Defence College Certificate that enables them to append the title “NDC” (K) after their names.

Participants were also awarded a Masters Degree or Diploma in International Studies from the University of Nairobi.