Ruto: Why I picked Ogolla for CDF job despite name missing on list

President William Ruto revealed on Saturday that the late General Francis Ogolla was not among the list of senior military officers recommended to him for consideration as the replacement for former Chief of Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi.

Speaking at a memorial mass for General Ogolla on Saturday, President Ruto emphasized that he had made a decision to appoint based on merit, despite not finding Ogolla's name on the list provided to him.

"It was not an easy decision to make Ogolla CDF. It’s always a decision that involves many balances. All the recommendations I got for the next CDF, did not include General Ogolla but he was a military officer with a distinguished career," he said.

Memorial Service for the Late General Francis Omondi Ogolla, Ulinzi Sports Complex, Lang'ata. (PCS)

Ruto recounted a meeting with General Ogolla ahead of the appointment. The meeting was prompted by the events of August 15 at the Bomas of Kenya.

"There was only one problem (with Ogolla), the events of August 15 at the Bomas of Kenya and so I asked General Ogolla for a meeting and I had a one-on-one, come to Jesus meeting with General Ogolla," recalled President Ruto.

After the meeting, President Ruto said General Ogolla told him, "Mr President, I have no defence. I will not try to defend myself, it was wrong what happened and you have three choices; either send me to court-martial, have me retire or forgive me."

President @Williamsruto reflects on the moment he appointed the late General Francis Ogolla as the Chief of Defence Forces: pic.twitter.com/XznOFH1mtG

— Hussein Mohamed, MBS. (@HusseinMohamedg) April 20, 2024

After reflecting on what had transpired at the meeting, the president said he made up his mind that General Ogolla deserved to be the Chief of Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya.

"It is an appointment that I am very proud that I made," said President Ruto during a memorial mass for the late General ahead of his internment on Sunday.

Reflecting on their interactions, Ruto described Ogolla as a fine public servant, consummate military officer, accomplished commander, patriotic citizen with great humility and a representative of the best of what Kenya has to offer.

The Chief of Defence Forces briefs the head of state on the security situation of the country daily, sits in the National Security Advisory Committee chaired by the President and forms part of the team that escorts the commander-in-chief to the airport on his way to a foreign country and receives him upon return.

Through these interactions, the President says, they became closer and worked in harmony, despite the circumstances in which both occupied their positions.

"It has been an extraordinary privilege to work closely with him, to benefit from his wisdom, experience and insights and to witness him in action serving his nation with admirable commitment and providing excellent command leadership of the Kenya Defence Forces," added President Ruto.

It is most unfortunate that the helicopter crash has robbed this nation of fine and dedicated patriots whose ability, professionalism and selfless dedication were self-evident. As a result, the Kenya Defence Forces has lost highly promising officers who still had so much to… pic.twitter.com/Iapx8hclbp

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) April 20, 2024

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua praised Ogolla's commitment to the country, emphasizing his dedication during their time working together.

"For the time we worked with General Ogolla, he was a very committed officer of the military," he said.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga called for an end to the stigma surrounding Ogolla's alleged involvement in election tampering, urging respect for his legacy.

"General Ogolla would never have contemplated or thought about going to Bomas of Kenya to force Mr (Wafula) Chebukati to alter the results of the last General elections. So we want this to end as we lay him to rest," Odinga said.

President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at General Francis Ogolla's memorial. (PCS)

He also called for thorough investigations into Ogolla's death and increased scrutiny of military equipment to prevent accidents.

"There have been so many of these crashes and we want to put this to an end so that we can save the lives of our people," he said.

"Because of how Ogolla died, a lot of rumours are flying all over, we want these rumours put to rest and this can only happen if there is a thorough investigation to tell us the cause of the death and how that plane came down," he added.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi remembered Ogolla as a solid military commander, highlighting his thoughtful and deliberate approach to leadership.

"General Ogolla was a deep and brilliant thinker, not an emotional one. He was not impulsive, he gave very good thought to what he'd say and what he intended to do. He was truly a deserving and befitting leader of the military," Mudavadi said.