Growing up, Faith Mwagandi’s dream was to become a medical practitioner, a dream she indeed worked hard for, evidenced by her remarkable academic performance.
She attended Moi Girls High School in Eldoret where she recorded straight As in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education(KCSE) exam.
While she was hoping for a career in medicine, Mwagandi ended up taking a general degree an academic journey that lasted for only three weeks.
She ditched her university education to take up a military career after seeing a newspaper advertisement for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment.
Her journey in the force began in 2007 when she joined the Kenya Military Academy in Lanet. Over time, she attained a diploma in Military Science and would later after attain another degree from Egerton University.
As a Lieutenant, she pursued extensive practical application of naval training, leadership, command, and management abroad before returning to Kenya in 2010 and taking up the role of an instructor at the Kenya Navy Training School.
Her operational experience includes serving as a navigating officer aboard Kenya’s research vessel, RV Mtafiti, manned by the Kenya Navy and the Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute, between 2016 and 2017.
Mwagandi made history as the first female Warship Commander in East Africa, taking command of the Kenya Navy Ship (KNS) Shujaa from 2019 to 2022.
She also served as the Principal Warfare Officer during a critical voyage to the Netherlands for the midlife refit of KNS Shujaa.
During the 2024 Mashujaa Day celebration, Mwagandi made history again as the first female officer in Kenya to lead the Guard of Honour.
A Guard of Honour in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is a formal, ceremonial parade of troops presented as a mark of respect and tribute to national leaders, visiting heads of state, or other high-ranking dignitaries.
It is a key element of military protocol during official state functions and comprises of personnel from the three branches of the KDF: the Kenya Army, the Kenya Air Force, and the Kenya Navy.
Soldiers are carefully selected, undergo rigorous training, and execute drills with precision. A commissioned officer serves as the parade commander.
Currently, Lt Col Mwagandi serves as Staff Officer 1 (SO1) in charge of Personnel and Administration at the Kenya Navy.
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