Retired Kenyan Lieutenant General Daniel Opande was honored with the prestigious Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel by Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio. This high national honor recognizes Opande's pivotal role in restoring peace and stability in Sierra Leone, particularly his leadership in disarming rebel forces and guiding the country towards lasting peace.

• Opande served as Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) from 2000 to 2003.
• The Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) were deployed to Sierra Leone in 1999 to stabilize the country after a peace agreement.
• The award coincided with the anniversary of the official end of the Sierra Leone Civil War in 2002.
• Opande also commanded peacekeeping missions in Namibia, Mozambique, and Liberia.