Aden Duale Joins Raila In Defending General Ogolla Over Bomas Saga: "He Showed Me Texts"

• Aden Duale confirmed Azimio leader Raila Odinga'a statement that the late Francis Ogolla would never try to tamper with President William Ruto's win during the 2022 General Election
• Duale asserted his closeness and good relations with Ogolla to the extent that he shared with him everything that happened on August 15, 2022
• Ogolla was buried on Sunday, April 21, after being involved in a plane crash in Kaben, Elgeyo Marakwet

Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale spoke about his closeness with the late General Francis Ogolla from the time he served as the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) to the moment of his death.

Did Francis Ogolla try to overturn William Ruto's 2022 win?

Speaking during Ogolla's burial ceremony on Sunday, April 21, in Siaya, Duale dismissed reports that the late CDF tried to tamper with President William Ruto's victory in the 2022 General Election.

Ruto in 2023, during a meeting with journalists at State House in Nairobi, said that Ogolla tried to tamper with election results, but he overlooked it and decided to appoint him as the CDF because he was more qualified.

However, Duale qualified Raila Odinga's statement on April 20 that General Ogolla would never try to tamper with election results.

"When the whole issue of Bomas was hanging over his head on August 15, we had a conversation and even lost weight that this thing was disturbing him. General Ogolla was not a member of the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC).... so how did Ogolla go to NSAC and to Bomas?" he questioned.

Duale said that Ogolla constantly wondered why he was being sent to Bomas when he was not a member of NSAC.

" As a Muslim, Ogolla showed me text messages of superiors sending him to Bomas. When he went to Bomas, he kept asking why he was there, but he was ordered to stay," he added.

The Defence boss added that Ogolla would never just go to Bomas. He further urged people to stop making false accusations.

General Ogolla's send off

General Ogolla was buried on Sunday April 21 at Ng'iya village Siaya county just 72 hours after his death.

Ogolla's family said he had prepared them for his death and even made a wish to be buried as soon as possible without a casket.

Ogolla was onboard a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) plane that crashed in Keben on the border of the Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties.

In his company were, among others, nine other ranking military officials who also died in the crash; two occupants survived.

What else you need to know about Ogolla's send off

• President William Ruto mourned general Francis Ogolla's death saying it was a painful loss to him.
• Joel Rabuku, the son of the late KDF boss, clarified that his father maintained positive relationships with President William Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.
• Lorna disclosed that her father was always close to his Bible and read it from cover to cover every year.

Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke