Official opening and keynote address by Hon. Roselinda Soipan Tuya, Cabinet Secretary for Defence to Course 29-2026/2027 participants on 01 July 2026.

The National Defence College (NDC), a college of the National Defence University–Kenya, has officially commenced Course No. 29 – 2026/2027 following an opening ceremony held at the College in Karen, Nairobi. The ceremony was graced by Hon. Soipan Tuya, the Cabinet Secretary for Defence who was received by the Commandant of the National Defence College, Lt Gen Juma Mwinyikai, the Deputy Commandant (Military), Maj Gen Yahya Abdi and the Senior Faculty.
The course has enrolled senior officers from the Kenya Defence Forces, participants from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government, together with representatives from partner and allied nations. The 2026/2027 intake also marks a significant milestone for the College with the admission of participants from the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Republic of The Gambia and the Kingdom of Morocco for the first time, further broadening NDC’s international footprint.
Over the next year, participants will engage in an intensive programme of strategic studies aimed at enhancing their leadership capacity, critical thinking and policy analysis skills. The curriculum is structured to prepare senior leaders for greater responsibility in the formulation and management of national security policy and public administration while enabling them to address emerging and evolving security challenges.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Hon. Soipan Tuya, officially declared the course open and challenged participants to fully embrace the demanding academic journey ahead. She underscored the importance of strategic education in preparing leaders capable of safeguarding national interests and promoting regional and international cooperation.
As Kenya’s premier institution for strategic leadership education, the National Defence College continues to strengthen the capacity of senior leaders through a multidisciplinary learning environment that promotes collaboration across government institutions and partner nations. The College remains committed to nurturing strategic thinkers equipped to apply whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches in addressing complex national, regional and global security issues.