The report into the helicopter crash that killed KDF boss General Francis Ogolla will be made public, President William Ruto announced yesterday.
The team appointed by Kenya Air Force Commander Major General John Omenda must make public their findings into the Elgeyo Marakwet crash in which Ogolla and nine others died on Thursday afternoon.
“I have full confidence that Gen Omenda and the team he has appointed has to make sure that all details are laid bare on the accident that took away the life of Gen Ogolla,” the President said.
“I have full confidence in the Kenya Defence Forces. They are our foremost professional entity in Kenya. They have demonstrated their professionalism and integrity,” he said.
He, too, is keen to know the truth like every Kenyan who has expressed concerns about the accident.
“The KDF fraternity, as well as the family of General Ogolla, are as concerned as I am and as every Kenyan who has inquired on the life of our beloved general,” he said.
“The KDF, Kenya Air Force have the requisite integrity and professionalism to make sure there would be no shred of doubt to what happened to Gen Ogolla.”
He spoke at the burial service of the general in Ng’iya, Siaya county, where leaders especially from the opposition pressed his administration to investigate the accident.
Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga led the calls, saying: "The death was an accident, but we have had many such accidents and assassinations. We want to know the truth.
“I want to ask our uncle [Ogolla’s son Joel Rabuku] not to be impatient with us because once bitten twice shy. Let no stones be left unturned,” Oburu said after relaying his brother, Raila Odinga’s, condolences.
“Let us be told who killed our son…he died too soon…we lost Tom Mboya, we lost Dr Robert Ouko and the regime convinced the family to be protective..let them allow investigators to do their work,” Oburu said.
Azimio coalition luminary Kalonzo Musyoka said: “We have heard a team has been constituted to look into the circumstances under which the general fell. Make it public so you allay these fears. This is a national thing…the truth must come out,” Kalonzo said.
Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua also piled pressure, saying, “When an accident occurs, it is a security issue. There are security concerns which deserve an answer for the nation. We look forward to a speedy investigation.”
Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi said, “ The end is smelly…it is not as rosy as the beginning…the way you [President Ruto] broke the record of appointing him, let us get a report of what happened to Gen Ogolla."
“I just hope that this time around, we will come to the final conclusion of how this happened,” Siaya Governor James Orengo said.
“Don’t leave anything out. We want to be assured that nothing will be left out so that the truth comes out,” Orengo stated, adding, “We have mourned many times and that is why sometimes people mistake us.”
Ruto responded: “It is true we have lost many Kenyans because of extrajudicial killings and political assassinations. For the avoidance of doubt and without any fear of contradiction, I made a commitment that there shall never be extrajudicial killings or political assassinations,” he said
“There will be no other occasion of bodies of Kenyans in River Yala, not in my watch.”
The funeral service was without politics as various leaders defended Gen Ogolla against allegations he was part of a team that attempted to steal Ruto’s victory in the August 2022 general elections.
Defence CS Aden Duale validated Raila’s assertions at Uhuru Gardens on Saturday that Ogolla was not involved in the alleged rigging plot.
“Raila was right. I came to qualify his statement that Gen Ogolla would not have gone to Bomas of Kenya had he known what was going to happen. Some of the people who sent him to Bomas are here,” the CS said.
Duale said the departed General had shared with him messages from some of his superiors and members of the national security committee that directed him to go to Bomas.
Several leaders including Orengo and Atandi said the claims were untrue, citing their experience whenever they raised a political question with the general.
“Let not Gen Ogolla be buried in doubt. The lingering doubt is that there is the allegation that he went to interfere with election. I was at Bomas of Kenya. If you accuse Orengo, that’d be reasonable. As I know him, he’d tell me wachana nayo [leave that alone],” Orengo said.
