General Francis Ogolla was named as the Chief of Defence Forces by President William Ruto in April, 2023 in changes made in the military.
Ogolla took over from General Robert Kibochi who departed after attaining the mandatory exit age of 62.
President Ruto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, had promoted Ogolla to the rank of General.
Before the appointment, General Ogolla was the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces.
He joined the military on April 24, 1984, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on May 6, 1985.
He was posted to the Kenya Air Force and began his military career as a fighter pilot.
Gen Ogolla is a graduate of ÉcoleMilitaire de Paris and the National Defence College of Kenya.
He holds a Diploma in International Studies and Military Science from Egerton University, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Armed Conflict and Peace Studies (First Class Honors) and Masters of Arts in International Studies from the University of Nairobi.
He also attended the École Militaire de Paris and the National Defence College of Kenya.
He rose through the ranks to become a Major General and was appointed the Commander Kenya Air Force on July 15, 2018, a post he has served for three years.
Throughout his career, Gen Ogolla has held various positions in Training, Command, and Staff.
These include Deputy Commander Kenya Air Force, Base Commander of Laikipia Air Base, Commanding Officer of Tactical Fighter Wing, Chief Flying Instructor at Kenya Air Force Flying Training School, and Operations Desk Officer at Kenya Air Force Headquarters.
On July 23, 2021, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed as the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces.
In his personal life, he is a golfer and enjoys reading. He is married to Aileen and has two children. Ogolla’s military career spans almost four decades,
General Ogolla was also the principal military adviser to the President and Cabinet.
The Tonje Rules, which were implemented by former Chief of Staff General Daudi Tonje, established a rotation system that ensures equal opportunities for the three branches of the Kenya Defence Forces: Army, Navy, and Air Force to lead the military.
He trained as a fighter pilot and an instructor pilot with the United States Air Force and also received training in other areas, such as imagery intelligence, counter-terrorism, and accident investigation.
