Ksh6,800 Casket- General Francis Ogolla's Son On How His Father Wanted His Sendoff To Be

Joel Omondi Rabuku, the son of the late Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla, revealed the simplicity of how he wanted the final sendoff of his father to be, despite being a man highly respected in the country's military circles.

Rabuku was speaking on Saturday, April 20 during the memorial service of General Ogolla at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Lang'ata where he was praised for giving a well-spoken tribute about his father, who died in a helicopter crash on Thursday, April 18.

Sharing intrigues, he revealed that the casket General Ogolla lay in was a simple casket that cost close to Ksh7,000, a paradigm shift from huge characters who would be laid to rest in decorated caskets reaching up to Ksh1 million.

A picture of Joel Omondi Ogolla speaking during a memorial service for his father on April 20, 2024. /X

"The casket he is lying in is a very simple casket whose wood has not been shaped and is very rough. I've just been told it actually cost Ksh6,800...all these matters of a prominent figure being buried in a Ksh500,000 or Ksh1 million, his essence and spirit is no longer with us, this is a body which he served the country with and now it is finished," he disclosed.

Rabuku shared similarities to how Jesus Christ was buried after he died on the cross for our sins, honouring his father's wishes to be wrapped in sheets before he was buried, preferably to ensure that his family would not incur additional costs on the family's part.

"Jesus himself, how he was buried, he was wrapped in a sheet and put in a tomb. Right now, mzee is wearing the uniform he donned for number one functions but tomorrow we will be wrapping him in the sheets, we will extract him from the casket and lay him to the ground so that he can return as dust as quickly as possible just the way he wanted it," he added.

The family had previously disclosed that Ogolla's graveyard would be as simple as their kin had requested.

Furthermore, Rabuku urged military inspectors to see to it that his father's cherished Bible was retrieved from the wreckage of the helicopter that crashed tragically.

General Ogolla was remembered by his son as a humble man of faith, whose steadfast trust in God transcended his illustrious military career.

"Somewhere in that helicopter wreck is his Bible. I am hoping they can retrieve it from the wreck, I would love to keep it as a memento," Omondi expressed during the memorial service.

"As he lays here with his uniform I see they put his medals, his sword and boots, he loved them as tools for the job, but nothing more. He was not under any illusion that he was important after he breathed his last."

The late Chief of Defence Forces is scheduled to be laid to rest at his maternal home in Siaya on Sunday per his wish to be buried 72 hours after his death.

The memorial service was attended by dignitaries including President William Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Chief Justice Martha Koome, and several Cabinet Secretaries, as well as opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Raila Odinga joins President Ruto and DP Rigathi Gachagua for the memorial service for the Late General Francis Omondi Ogolla at Ulinzi Sports Complex, Lang'ata on April 20, 2024. /X