Arrowhead: Lessons from Cadet School to the Office of the Chief of Defence Forces: A MEMOIR by ROBERT KIBOCHI, PhD. 10th Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces

ARROWHEAD is a metaphor for the full spectrum of responsibilities entrusted to the Defence Forces, encompassing nation-building, peacekeeping and warfighting. Yet, as Arrowhead demonstrates, the foundation of peace will always depend on a sharpened arrowhead, ready for the mission when called upon.

In this capivating memoir, General Robert Kibochi retraces his journey from his high school years and entry into military service in 1979 to more than four decades in uniform serving his country.

A reform-minded scholar-soldier and Signals officer, he rose through the ranks to become Commander of the Kenya Army and ultimately the 10th Chief of the Defence Forces. Drawing on personal recollections and military records, he offers a rare insider’s perspective on leadership
at the different levels of command.

General Kibochi takes the reader into the complexities of civil-military relations at the highest levels of national leadership and into operational theatres where Kenyan troops have confronted terrorism and contributed to regional peace and security. He reflects on institutional transformation, military education, technological change, strategic partnerships and the evolving role of the Kenya Defence Forces in national development.

Yet Arrowhead is also a deeply personal account of the people behind the uniform: the mentors who shaped him, the officers and service members with whom he served, the troops who made the ultimate
sacrifice and the military families whose support sustains those on the frontline.
It is a story of leadership, service, sacrifice and transformation, and of what it takes to keep the arrowhead sharpened for mission readiness.