The intrigues surrounding the 2022 presidential elections surfaced at the Military Honours and Memorial Service for Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Ogolla with both President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga addressing the matter.
Raila hailed the CDF as a peaceful man and a patriot who served the country until his last breath.
“We have come to say farewell to General Francis Ogolla, a true nationalist. By his conduct, he showed he was prepared to serve and die on behalf of this country. Long live the General!” Azimio la Umoja leader eulogized.
“General Ogolla was a simple man and who believed in his duty to the nation. He never would have contemplated, leave alone when he went to Bomas of Kenya, to think of overturning the results of the election. This notion needs to be put to rest as we lay the General to rest tomorrow” Raila added in reference to the intrigues that surrounded the 2022 presidential elections at Bomas of Kenya.
The opposition chief also called for comprehensive investigations to answer all questions raised over Ogolla’s death.
“We want rumours surrounding the death of General Francis Ogolla put to rest through investigations to tell us how the chopper crashed. It is also time to re-look the military equipment.” Raila added.
Ruto revisits Bomas fiasco & options he was presented with
The President on his part while speaking during the service at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on Saturday, April 20, shared that he had an honest conversation on the intrigues at Bomas with the late CDF prior to his appointment.
“General Ogolla told me the following, Mr President, I have no defence, I will not try to defend myself, what happened was wrong,” Ruto recounted.
READ: 3 questions that Azimio want answered on Ogolla’s last assignment before death
He added that the late CDF presented him with three options.
“You can either send me to court-martial, have me retire, or forgive me,” Ruto added.
The late CDF's son, Joel Omondi eulogized his father as a staunch Christian, revealing that he had a Bible which he carried with him.
He appealed for every effort possible to be made to recover his father’s cherished bible from the wreckage of the ill-fated helicopter.
Omondi also conveyed his desire to keep the Bible as a memento.
“Somewhere in that helicopter is his Bible which was his most precious possession. I'm hoping they can retrieve it, I'd want to keep it as a memento.” He explained during his father's memorial service on Saturday.
He also shared that his father’s wishes of a simple funeral would be respected to the latter, revealing that the casket containing his body only cost Sh6,800 and the body will be laid to rest without a coffin as per his wishes.
“The casket only cost Ksh.6,800. Tomorrow he will be wrapped in sheets, and laid to rest on the ground without a coffin, just as he wanted.
"His biggest wish was for Kenya to be totally secure and free from external influence... He died doing that. There is no greater death for him," Omondi added.
READ: Gen Ogolla's will details strict instructions for his burial
The late CDF will be laid to rest at his home in Siaya on Sunday, April 21.