“When I leave, let Kenyans judge me. But I want to leave an effective military that is respected the world over, and that will deliver on its mission, whenever and wherever.”
That was the unequivocal response by Chief of Defence Forces, General Francis Omondi Ogolla, to a question on what he would want his legacy at the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to be upon his exit.
This statement was during an interview to mark his first 100 days in office on August 23, 2023, that aired on national broadcaster, KBC.
At 60, the Vice-Chief of the Defence Forces in the rank of Lieutenant General had been promoted to a four-star General and appointed CDF by President William Ruto on April 28, 2023.
The decorated soldier, who had risen through the ranks to a commander of the Kenya Air Force, had at least two years at the helm of the Kenyan military – given that a general retires at 62.
In a twist of fate, April, a month that he had celebrated milestones in his 40-year career – he joined the military on April 24, 1984 – yesterday also turned to be the most tragic for the General.
President William Ruto with Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla at a previous function.
Photo credit: File | PSCU
In chilling irony, the United States-trained fighter jet pilot – who had survived more dangerous missions in the cockpit of supersonic aircraft – was among casualties of a military helicopter crash in a remote forested Sindar area in Kaben on the border of West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
The accident abruptly ended his short reign as CDF, just days to his first anniversary.
In June 2010, Internal Security Minister George Saitoti was killed in a plane police helicopter crash in Ngong forest.
Prof Saitoti and his deputy, Orwa Ojode, died when their Eurocopter AS 350 aircraft went down west of Nairobi.
In April 2006, a military cargo plane carrying a high-level delegation on a peace mission crashed in bad weather in Marsabit, killing 14 people, including five MPs.
Among the casualties were former Foreign Affairs minister Bonaya Godana but a provincial administration official and two crew members aboard the Chinese-made Y-12 plane were rescued.
When Gen Ogolla had pronounced his vision, he would have hoped that he would run out his tenure – and perhaps even secure an extension from President Ruto with whom they had got off in an awkward moment – but had quickly put behind the dark past.
And it is Gen Ogolla’s burning desire to accomplish so much in such a brief period that he had sacrificed his hobbies to ensure he was not distracted from the onerous task of leading a military, a country’s last line of defence.
In this file picture, President Uhuru Kenyatta congratulates Major General Francis Ogolla after he took oath of office as Commander of Kenya Air Force at State House, Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | PSCU
“I like to read, I used to love golf, but the day I was appointed CDF, I kept my golf clubs aside. I said ‘let me focus on this job wholeheartedly’,” Gen Ogolla said while marking 100 days in office.
On assuming office at the Department of Defence headquarters, Gen Ogolla crystalised his vision into one phrase: One Force-One Nation.
“Focused on one mission of defending the sovereignty of the Republic of Kenya,” he had explained during the interview and set out to sell his vision to the entire military.
“We will be judged on the effectiveness of how we perform our duty. Militaries evolve and threats to national security change every day. We must keep evolving and equipping ourselves,” the general had explained, emphasising that modernising the military, including weaponry, was central to his dream.
Even more important to the success of his strategy, Gen Ogolla had explained, was the welfare of his soldiers “because it determines morale and the fighting spirit.”
“A genuine concern for those under your command. Ensuring you train them to the level required for the mission, that they are well housed, their families are taken care of, the education of their children,” Gen Ogolla had stressed.
“It preoccupies my mind every day,” he had reflected.
Perhaps to keep close ties with his juniors, one of the general’s hobbies was “running with soldiers twice a week just to keep fit”.
Commissioned as Second Lieutenant on May 6, 1985, and posted to the Kenya Air Force, Ogolla – then a young ambitious soldier – had trained as a fighter pilot with US Air Force and as an instructor pilot at the Kenya Air Force (KAF).
He had trained in other fields too, including imagery intelligence, counter-terrorism and, in yet another irony, accident investigation, according to information from the Department of Defence (DoD).
A graduate of ÉcoleMilitaire de Paris and the National Defence College of Kenya, Ogolla had served in former Yugoslavia as an observer and Military Information Officer from 1992 to 1993.
The holder of a diploma in International Studies and Military Science from Egerton University went up the military ladder, serving in various appointments in training, command and staff.
The late Chief of Defence Forces, General Francis Ogolla.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
But the young soldier clung to the gun and a Bible, for as a devoted religious person, he served as the chairman of Military Christian Fellowship from 1994 to 2004.
“I sometimes like to be alone to reflect. If I can get two or three hours a day to be by myself, I enjoy it,” the general had reminisced about his favourite pass time.
A recipient of First Class Honours in Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Armed Conflict and Peace studies, Ogolla rose from an operations desk officer at the KAF Headquarters to Chief Flying Instructor at Kenya Air Force Flying Training School, then Commanding Officer of Tactical Fighter Wing.
This stellar flying record saw him co-chair the Association of African Air Chiefs between 2018-2019.
The holder of a Masters of Arts in International Studies from the University of Nairobi also served as Base Commander, Laikipia Air Base and thereafter Deputy Commander of the Air Force.
On promotion to a Major General, the career soldier who is married to Aileen, and blessed with two children and a grandson, was appointed the commander, Kenya Air Force, on July 15, 2018, a position he held for three years.
The late Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
A rung higher, he was named Vice Chief of the Defence Forces on the path to becoming the country’s 11th CDF, taking over from Gen Robert Kibochi.
But his rise to the helm of KDF was perhaps the most controversial ever, for his alleged role in the lead up to the 2022 presidential election.
The hotly-contested election largely pitted then-President Uhuru Kenyatta’s preferred successor, opposition leader Raila Odinga against then Deputy President William Ruto.
Lt-Gen Ogolla was named among members of the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) who visited the presidential election National Tallying Centre at Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi, in August 2022 for a mission that is disputed to date.
This controversial visit would feature prominently during the hearing of the presidential election petition filed at the Supreme Court by Mr Odinga challenging the declaration of Dr Ruto as president-elect.
Then-Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati and commissioner Abdi Guliye claimed NSAC sent a team comprising Ogolla, Principal Administrative Secretary in the Office of the President Kennedy Kihara, Solicitor-General Kennedy Ogeto and Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to pressure for a run-off vote.
In their affidavits, the IEBC chiefs claimed the NSAC officials said that a result against Mr Odinga would plunge the country into chaos.
However, then-Head of Civil Service and Chairperson of the NSAC Joseph Kinyua in a sworn affidavit to the court denied Mr Chebukati’s allegations.
Mr Kinyua said NSAC did not have a preferred candidate in the 2022 election and that the mission of the team was to emphasise the delays in declaration of results were causing anxiety.
In the final judgment upholding Dr Ruto’s election as the country’s fifth president, the top judges declined to be drawn into making findings as to the purpose of the visit.
“The Attorney-General’s plea to us to dismiss the IEBC chairperson’s allegation that the NSAC attempted to subvert the will of the people must meet the same fate as the prayers by the second and third petitioners (that such decisions cannot be made in a presidential election petition),” the judges ruled on September 26, 2022.
But the controversy around that visit would not end there as it stalked the new administration and, ultimately, caused speculation on whether Lt-Gen Ogolla – who was next in line – would ascend to the helm of KDF under President Ruto’s watch.
At the time, while some said senior military promotions are decided by the Defence Council, popularly known as Board One, which is guided by longstanding traditions, and the recommendations forwarded to the President are binding, others argued the Head of State’s approval was doubtful.
It is against this cloud of controversy that President Ruto’s promotion of Lt-Gen Ogolla to the rank of General and appointing him CDF on April 28, 2023, and the subsequent swearing in ceremony and investiture of ranks held the following day at State House, Nairobi, was a surprising closely watched development.
“Ogolla is among the people who went to Bomas of Kenya to try overturn my victory. But when I looked at the CV, he was the best person to be general,” President Ruto said during an interview with Citizen TV on May 14, 2023.
“I called him and sat him down. I told him: ‘My friend, you went to Bomas to try and overturn my victory, but because you are the best person to be general, I am going to give you the job’. That is how it works with me. If a person is the best for the job, I will give them the job.”
The President dismissed assertions that his hands were tied, especially by the Tonje rules (named after former CDF Daudi Tonje, who introduced reforms in the military) on rotation of CDF among the three services – Kenya Army, Kenya Navy and KAF.
According to the rules, it was the turn of the Air Force, whose two senior most officers were Lt-Gen Ogolla and Lt-Gen Mohammed Badi, 60.
“I had 10 choices, I made the decision against the advice of many people,” President Ruto countered.
During last year’s Jamhuri Day celebrations, the President bestowed on Gen Ogolla the highest State award: The Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart.
