General (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Waweru Karangi, EGH, CBS, DCO, LOM
Chancellor – DeKUT
General (Rtd.) Julius Karangi 's Profile
General (Rtd) Dr Julius Waweru Karangi has had a distinguished career in the Kenyan military. He joined the Kenya Air Force in 1973, and after cadet training in the UK, he was commissioned as an officer in 1974. After qualifying as a Fight Navigator in October 1975 in the Royal Air Force in England, he was posted to Flying Wing Kenya Air Force, where he worked as a Navigator.
General (Rtd) Dr. Karangi has been trained in Kenya, the United Kingdom (UK), India, and the United States. He has served as an Officer in charge of managing the American Military Aid to Kenya, an Officer in Charge of the Research Department at Defence Headquarters, and Commander of an Air Defence Battalion in Kenya Air Force. He served as a Liaison Officer in Sarajevo (Bosnia), a Senior Military Liaison Officer in Belgrade (Serbia), and a Senior Military Observer in Belgrade and Croatia, all with the United Nations as a peacekeeper in 1992/93. He also served as a Staff Officer in the Kenya Air Force Headquarters in charge of Administration, Personnel and Logistics and as an Instructor at the Defence Staff College and Armed Forces Training College, Lanet.
In 1995, he was appointed the Commander of a Kenya Air Force Base, Moi Air Base. In 1997, he was appointed the Kenya Air Force Logistics Command Commander. In 1998, he was posted to Defence Headquarters. He was appointed Chief Procurement of the Kenya Defence Forces at Defence Headquarters in charge of Training, Doctrine and Procurement for the Kenya Defence Forces.
Gen (Rtd) Dr. Karangi was appointed as the Commandant of Defence Staff College Karen, where he worked between December 2000 and November 2003 in the rank of Major General, after which he was appointed as the Commander of Kenya Air Force and served from November 2003 to 10th August 2005. On 10th August 2005, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and appointed Vice Chief of Defence Force, Defence Headquarters. On 13th July 2011, he was again promoted to General and appointed as the New Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) by President H.E. Mwai Kibaki. His last four years as Chief of Defence Forces of Kenya were “Active-Duty Service” when Kenya deployed her troops in Somalia against Al-Shabaab for the first time in history. He retired from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) on 5th May 2015 after 42 years of distinguished military service.
After retirement from military service, General Karangi served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the largest pension Fund in the region until 23rd, December 2022 when he was appointed Chairman, National Council for Population and Development (NCPD). General Karangi is a Chairman of the Board of Directors of KCB South Sudan and is also a member of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Kenya. The General enjoys farming.
The General holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Security and Risk Management from the University of Leicester (UK). Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) from Kenyatta University and recipient of the United States of America Award of Degree of Commander, the Legion of Merit (LOM). He is one of the only three (3) Africans to hold this award, the other two being Emperor Haile Sellasie of Ethiopia, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. He also holds National Honours and Awards of Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (EGH), Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS), and Distinguished Conduct Order (DCO).
On 1st November 2023, Gen (Rtd) Dr. Julius Karangi was appointed as the second Chancellor of Dedan Kimathi University of Technology by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya, Dr. William Samoei Ruto C.G.H.