RTD MAJOR BENJAMIN KIPLAGAT has been transferred to Rivatex campus as the transport and communication manager. A move that critics claim he is being pushed out of the system considering how powerful the post of Chief Security officer. However reliable sources within refuted such claims saying it was just a normal shuffle within the administration.
The retired major whom some security personnel claimed he had initiated change within the department including advancing training, zoning the campus into security zones and improving remuneration of security officers. After retirement he came back to Eldoret where he got a job at the municipal council of Eldoret as the senior enforcement officer in charge of prosecuting those who acted contrary to the council’s by-laws from 1997-2003 before being employed by the varsity in late 2003 .He holds a BSc criminal Justice from the Arizona University in 2012
The major whom I managed to interview during my first year when theft cases were rife told me he joined the army in 1980 as a cadet who served the country for 18 years. During his 18 years of service he was a brigade major artinner trained instructor gunnery where he was specialized in making, sending and detonate bombs and explosives. He also worked as a General Duty Officer (GDO) where he was a multipurpose officer, and with the army air wing 50 Air cavalry Battalion (ACB) as an air operation post officer (A.O.P.O) He said since joining the army as a cadet in 1980, he became a lieutenant and 2nd lieutenant during the 1982 aborted coup attempted by junior Air force Officers whom he termed as confused elements within the defense forces at that time. “I was 2nd lieutenant with the artillery brigade In Gilgil when this confused elements from the Moi Airbase decided to exhibited there foolishness, major Kiplagat remarked.
Despite age catching up with him, his mind seemed to be clear when he narrated to us what transpired during the day of abortive coup 1st August 1982. He enlightening me on what he witnessed that day, and also took part in escorting former President His Excellency Daniel Moi from Naivasha to Nairobi. He said in the capital, Nairobi massive looting was taking place before their arrival from Gilgil he lamented how together with his colleagues they managed one looter who had his entire body covered with two hundred Kenyan shillings which at that time was the largest denomination at that time and was referred to as ‘album’. The man was arrested and the money returned to owner of those shops. He explained how Hezekiah Ochuka the leader of the coup plotter had hijacked an Air force plane piloted by one colonel Leshan who flew them to Tanzania before they were deported back to face justice.
In addition to he had been trained other countries such as in 1984 he went to survey artillery India which enabled me to later become an instructor in 1985 in artillery brigade was in a learning tour in Pakistan artillery and during 1986-1987 and 1988 beginning at school of artillery Dubai .I was one of the
eight officers in the entire armed forces to take part in operation hot mallet one in the entire artillery brigade. This operation had members of the international elite force and we were chosen based on merit the army provided four officers while the air force and the navy shared the spoils with two each this operation lasted for two weeks and aimed at checking on former united states ambassador Hempstone to Kenya interference since he was arrogant towards African leaders especially president Moi it was carried out between 1988-1989 and lasted for two weeks. Having worked in the logistics department within the army from 1990-1991 before going back to artillery brigade from 1992-1996. He was short changed in an United Nations(UN) observer mission as his name was removed from the list under unclear circumstances and someone’s else’s name was placed. This did not go well as the UN scrapped the opportunity since the officer they were given was not academically at par with their requirements compared to him, he lamented. The big question is was the administration right to transfer such a highly skilled officer on security matters and who will come to fill in his already big shoes considering how rife theft cases are high in campus?
