NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 20-Opposition Chief Raila Odinga says the late Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla would never have thought about going to the Bomas of Kenya to force former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati to alter the election results of the 2022 general election.

Speaking during General Ogolla’s memorial service at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, Odinga said that he knew General Ogolla “very well” and there is no way he would have taken such a decision.

Odinga said that a time had come for all his accusers to let the matter rest and allow the late CDF who perished alongside nine others following a helicopter crash on Thursday in Elgeyo-Marakwet to rest peacefully.

“As we lay General Ogolla to rest, I want us to remove the stigma,” he pleaded.

General Ogolla was among senior government officials named by Chebukati in August 2022, whom he claimed wanted to subvert the will of the people at the Bomas of Kenya during the announcement of the Presidential results.

Chebukati said at about 10am of the said date, the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) members came to see him alongside other commissioners at the national tallying centre at Bomas, and asked him to ensure a runoff, if he couldn’t declare Raila Odinga as the outright winner in the 2022 presidential election.

In his affidavit he listed the names of the NSAC delegation that were represented at the said meeting, including former Principal Administrative Secretary at the office of the ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kennedy Kihara ex-Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto, ex- Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and Ogolla who was the Vice Chief of Defense of Forces at the time.

In his narration, Chebukati claimed that prior to the arrival of the team, he had received a call from the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua informing him that he had sent a team that would like to discuss “assumption of office”.

The IEBC Chairman noted that the message was relayed by Kihara, who cautioned that if he declared William Ruto as the President – Elect, ‘the country is going to burn.’ 

He proceeded to indicate that skirmishes between the Kikuyu and Luo communities had already started ‘in several slums including Kibera and Mathare’ on the basis of alleged ‘betrayal by the kikuyu’.

“The second part of the message from the NSAC delegation was that if we cannot announce Raila Odinga as the outright winner, then we must ensure that there is a runoff,” Chebukati submitted.

However, NSAC denied the claims

In his replying affidavit, the former Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua admitted that officials met the electoral body but to only address security concerns raised.

‘I categorically deny the second respondent’s insinuation that I arranged a meeting between him and members of the NSAC with a view to influencing the outcome of the presidential election held on August 9, 2022, in favor of a particular candidate,” Kinyua stated in the affidavit filed in court, in response to Chebukati”s explosive dossier submitted to the Supreme Court.

The meeting with the Commission, he pointed out, was at the Bomas of Kenya where “members of the public were present together with various political parties, party agents and even the candidates themselves.”

“Had the intention of the NSAC been as sinister as sought to be portrayed in the affidavits, the subject of this response, the meeting would not have been requested and held at such an open and public venue with all the commissioners present,” his affidavit read.

President Ruto himself had accused the late CDF of attempting to rob him of his victory.

On May 2023, President Ruto said he appointed Ogolla to the position of Chief of Defence Forces despite having been among the high-ranking individuals who attempted to overturn his 2022 presidential victory in Bomas of Kenya. 

Ruto said during a joint interview that he appointed Ogolla as the military chief based on his merit.

The Head of State said that he made the decision consciously against the advice of many people who had asked him to stop General Ogolla from succeeding former General Robert Kibochi who retired last month and to avoid “rewarding such kind of behavior.”

“I appointed General Ogolla, he is among the people who went to Bomas to try and overturn my victory. But because when I looked at his CV, he was the best person to be the General,” Ruto said.

President Ruto stated that he had the choice to appoint anybody into the CDF position noting that his appointment has nothing to do with him having been the Deputy CDF but “good track record.”

“I could have appointed anybody, I had I think 10 choices,” he added.

Before appointing Gen Ogolla, Ruto said that he called him and assured him that he would give him the job despite trying to sabotage his victory.

He adds that when he spoke to Gen Ogolla, the new CDF admitted to him having made a mistake and told him that he would respect his decision.

“He (Gen. Ogolla) told me I have no defense, you do with me whatever you want, I cannot defend, it was wrong, what I did was wrong,” Ruto said at the time.  By Bruhan Makong, Capital News