Commander -in -Chief of the Armed Forces President William Ruto led thousands of mourners at Senator Obama Primary school in Alego Usonga of Siaya County to lay the remains of a fallen Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Omondi Ogolla.
President Ruto eulogized Ogolla as a dedicated General who gave his best in serving his country. “Today we are laying a gallant soldier to rest, the man who tirelessly worked to foster the security of this country, given another opportunity in the other world, I will still appoint him as my Chief of Defence Forces,” said president Ruto adding that the late met all the requirements and he was totally fit to head the Defence Forces of Kenya.
The General’s daughter, Lorna Ogolla told mourners that despite her father holding a major position in the country, he gave his family the best time, adding that the General was a true family man. She narrated how her father, General Ogolla was a hard working father, making sure that his family got the best out of the rest. Lorna, the first born in a family of two alongside his brother Joel, told mourners how the late General Ogolla wished to see changes in Siaya County in a few years time.
‘I remember a day I sat with my brother and instructed me that Peris, the life of a soldier is always on a hanging line, in case I die, make sure that am buried within forty eight hours,” General Ogolla’s sister Peris emotionally recalled good times she had with her brother as he narrated the wishes the General had in case of his death adding that they had moments of argument about the wish being buried within two days but later he changed to seventy two hours clock the wish that was fully honored.
The family of General Ogolla had planned to hold a hundred years birthday party for their father on Saturday but unfortunately death struck the family, killing their son on an afternoon of Thursday when the plane crashed at Sindar Kaben in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The late General Francis Omondi Ogolla was buried on Sunday afternoon in his Ng’iya village home, Alego Usonga, Siaya County under full military traditions.
The nineteen gun salute, a minute of silence as honor to the fallen soldier who dedicated his service to the nation and the people of Kenya was observed.
This is the first occasion in the history of Kenya for a Chief of Defence Forces to die in office since the independence of Kenya. The General not only died in office but he died when he was in the line of duty inspecting schools in hotly manifested banditry areas of Kerio valley.
By Thadeus Wachiye
