Major General ( Rtd) Ayub Matiiri had a distinguished military career spanning four decades before changing career path soon after his retirement from the Kenya Defence Forces in 2022.
The former Kenya Army General joined KDF in 1982 and was commissioned as second lieutenant in 1984. He would later be posted to the Armoured Brigade, where he rose through the ranks to become a two-star general.
He is best remembered for heading the Covid-19 Command Centre at the height of the pandemic.
At the time, he was serving as the General Commanding Officer, Eastern Command, where he retired. He was succeeded by the current National Defence College Commandant, Lieutenant General Juma Shee Mwinyikayi.
The former Kenya Army General would immediately be appointed as Kenya’s ambassador to Egypt soon after retiring from the military.
In Cairo, he succeeded another retired general, former Kenya Air Force commander, Major General Joff Otieno whose tour of duty had come to an end.
But a few months later, the retired General passed on after a short illness. His funeral was attended by military top brass, led by the then Vice Chief of Defence Forces, Lt General Francis Ogolla.
A few years later, in 2024, General Ogolla perished in a terrible helicopter crash while on duty in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
By Kenyans