General Francis Ogolla had his destiny tied to April. He joined the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) on April 24, 1984; was appointed the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) on April 28, 2023, and his death struck on April 17, 2024.
He was to celebrate 40 years in KDF on Wednesday, and also mark his first year as Kenyas CDF next Sunday.
Military changes by President William Ruto in March this year placed Lieutenant-General Charles Muriu Kahariri as the senior-most officer at the Kenya Navy, the formation that was next in line to produce the CDF as per the famed 'Tonje' rules.
Lt-Gen Kahariri was named the Vice Chief of Defence Forces in changes that saw some senior KDF officials retired and assigned various ambassadorial roles.
The same Lt-Gen Kahariri also featured in military changes that President Ruto made in May 2023, just weeks after appointing General Ogolla as the CDF.
Before Lt-Gen Kahariri's promotion, Lt-Gen Jimson Mutai was the senior-most Navy official. In the March changes, Lt-Gen Mutai was appointed the vice-chancellor of the National Defence College.
President Ruto had defied reservations in his inner circle regarding making General Ogolla the top military man, given the occurrences around the presidential election in 2022.
As pleaded in a Supreme Court petition by the then chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Mr Wafula Chebukati, General Ogolla -- then the vice CDF -- was in a team that attempted to force the electoral body to declare Azimio la Umoja candidate Raila Odinga as the winner or force a rerun.
However, when General Robert Kibochi was leaving , Dr Ruto chose to go with General Ogolla despite having over 10 choices.
I appointed him on the dictates of the military traditions and order of doing things, said Dr Ruto in a May 2023 interview. I insisted on him because his experience justified his being given the job.
General Ogolla took up his job with a plan to unify the formations of the military under a policy he called One Force One Mission.
I have been able to elaborate on my vision which I crystallised with the phrase One Force One Mission to bring everyone together to understand what our role is and to focus on the one mission we have to defend the sovereignty of the Republic of Kenya, GeneralOgolla said in an interview in August 2023.
By December last year, he was showing signs of redefining the CDF position, through actions like attending civilian events and mentoring the young.
When President Ruto toured Nyanza in October 2023, General Ogola hosted the Head of State at his home in Siaya County. The president had a meal there.
General Ogolla loved reading and golf. He told the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation in August last year that one of the pleasures he had to drop after his appointment include playing golf.
I love to read and I used to love to play golf but the moment I was appointed Chief of Defence Forces, I more or less put my golf side aside and I said let me concentrate on this job wholeheartedly, he said.
A brilliant mind who was educated to Masters level, General Ogolla had defied his mother on the choice of career.
He told a gathering in Kisumu last year that in 1984, his mother came with a university calling letter and implored him not to join the military and instead pursue further studies.
However, he said, he had made up his mind to serve the country. He added that when he did his Masters degree, he dedicated it to his mother.
General Ogolla was a graduate of coleMilitaire de Paris and National Defence College of Kenya.
He held a Diploma both in International Studies and Military Science from Egerton University, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Armed Conflict and Peace Studies (first class honours) and Masters of Arts in International Studies from the University of Nairobi.
General Ogola is survived by his wife, Aileen, their two children and a grandchild.
On Thursday, his daughter Lorna Ogolla mourned the father saying that he was a pursuer of excellence and loved to protect his country.
My father, pursuer of excellence, most empathetic and effective leader and statesman just went down in a chopper crash in West Pokot. Doing what he did best for the better part of the last 40 years - trying to keep Kenya Safe, she posted on her official LinkedIn account.
One day I shall tell beautiful stories of how he taught with his actions and not with his words. But today - I rush home to send him off to the great beyond, she added.
Thursday's chopper crash which claimed the life of General Ogolla exposed the sorry state in which the Kenyan military choppers are in.
