The fragile political truce surrounding the tragic 2024 death of General Francis Ogolla shattered on Monday as a caucus of Rift Valley lawmakers demanded the immediate summoning of Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

The ultimatum follows explosive remarks made by Kalonzo on Saturday in Bondo, where he categorically claimed the former Chief of Defence Forces was “taken out” and did not die in an accidental crash. The lawmakers, led by Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno and Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, have termed the allegations as reckless incitement calculated to destabilize the country.

Stoking the Embers of 2027

Speaking from the Rift Valley on Sunday, the legislators argued that Kalonzo’s revival of the conspiracy theory is not a quest for justice, but a strategic maneuver to galvanize the opposition base ahead of the 2027 general election. They challenged the former Vice President to present his evidence to the authorities or cease using a national tragedy as a political football.

“I heard Kalonzo making noise regarding the death of Ogolla, claiming that he was killed,” said MP Johana Ng’eno. “We want to ask Kalonzo: if you have any information on who might have led to the death of Ogolla, please report to the police and the DCI so that the alleged killer can be arrested. If not, stop fuelling anxiety.”

Senator Mandago took a sharper tone, questioning Kalonzo’s moral standing to lecture the government on integrity. He warned that such unverified narratives risk reopening healing wounds between the Luo and Kalenjin communities, a polarization that cost Kenya dearly in previous election cycles.

The Bondo Declaration

The firestorm was ignited during the burial of Beryl Achieng Odinga, sister to opposition veteran Raila Odinga, in Siaya County. Addressing a charged crowd, Kalonzo rejected the official government report which attributed the April 2024 Elgeyo Marakwet crash to mechanical failure and weather conditions.

• The Claim: “Ogolla did not fall to an accident. He was taken out,” Kalonzo declared.
• The Promise: He vowed that a future opposition government would “interrogate every circumstance” surrounding the crash.
• The Context: The remarks come as Kalonzo solidifies his alliance with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), forming a new formidable front against the Kenya Kwanza administration.

A Distraction from the Economy?

For the average Kenyan, this renewed war of words offers little solace against the biting cost of living. While the political class trades barbs over the grave of a fallen soldier, the public is grappling with the controversial government move to sell stakes in Safaricom—a critical asset that affects the mobile money wallets of millions.

Analysts warn that the weaponization of General Ogolla’s death serves as a convenient distraction for both sides. For the opposition, it rallies an emotional base; for the government, it shifts the news cycle away from economic scrutiny.

“We owe it to our people to seek the truth,” Kalonzo maintained in a subsequent social media post, signaling that he has no intention of backing down. As the 2027 drumbeats grow louder, the memory of Kenya’s shortest-serving military chief seems destined to remain a central theater of political warfare.