President Wiliam Ruto on Sunday, May 14, lifted the lid on a meeting that he held with General Francis Ogolla days before being appointed to the position of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
In a joint media interview from State House, Nairobi, Ruto stated that he had a candid discussion with General Ogolla over what transpired at the Bomas of Kenya, during which the former Vice-CDF was accused of being part of the team that attempted to overturn Ruto’s Presidential victory.
The Head of State revealed that Ogolla was a repentant man who deserved another chance despite his mistakes during the August 2022 General Election.
“Even though I should not be talking about this, but because you have asked a good question, I would to tell you that when I spoke to General Ogolla, yes, he may have made a mistake, and maybe he was instructed by the Commander-in-Chief ordered him to do what he did.
“General Ogolla told me that ‘I have no defence, you do with me what you would like me to do. “What I did was wrong, and I have no defence at all. You do with me what you want” Ruto revealed.
Ruto stated that he reviewed Ogolla’s track record and made a conclusion that he was the right man for the job of Chief-of-Defence Forces.
The Head of State noted that General Ogolla was a brilliant soldier who had served his country with dedication and diligence up to the August 2022 General Election when he faltered.
The President also noted that Ogolla came from a region with had not produced a CDF, as such, it was only right for the General to carry the weight of his community and inspire young people to excel.
“When I looked at his Curriculum Vitae, General Ogolla was the best person to become Chief-of-Defence Forces. In fact, I had around ten choices, and against the advice of many, I chose General Ogolla.
“I am also conscious of the fact that since independence, there is nobody from Nyanza who has ever been a CDF. I don’t want a situation where a whole community thinks that they cannot ascend to certain offices,” Ruto State.
On Friday, April 28, President William Ruto made changes to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), and promoted Lieutenant General Francis Ogolla to the rank of General and subsequently appointed him the new Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
General Ogolla who previously served as Commander of the Air Force and Vice Chief of Defence Forces replaced Robert Kibochi whose term ended in April 2023,
Dr Kibochi made history by becoming the first non-infantry officer from the Kenya Army to be appointed as CDF and made more history as being the first CDF to hold a PhD.
