In a solemn tribute to the late Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla, who tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash on Thursday, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is set to pay its respects with an elaborate ceremony at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on Saturday, April 20.
The ceremony will include a 19-gun salute, a long reveille, and a poignant aerial tribute known as the Missing Man Formation, honouring General Ogolla's service and sacrifice.
The Missing Man Formation, typically reserved for fallen pilots or esteemed military figures, and key national leaders, symbolises the absence left by the departed individual.
In a non-aerobatic 2.5-minute aerial salute, the Missing Man Formation will see aircraft flying in a formation with a deliberate gap, representing General Ogolla's absence. This solemn gesture will follow a traditional 19-gun salute.
General Ogolla's legacy joins the ranks of distinguished leaders like the late President Mwai Kibaki and Daniel Arap Moi, both of whom were honoured with the Missing Man Formation during their burials.
President Kibaki's funeral, held with full military honours in Othaya, and President Moi's burial, marked by a 21-gun salute were poignant reminders of their service to the nation.
The long reveille, sounded by buglers, will resonate as military officers pay their respects to General Ogolla, the first Chief of Defence Forces in post-independence Kenya to pass away while in office.
His untimely death in the helicopter crash, which also claimed the lives of nine other KDF personnel, has cast a sombre shadow over the nation.
President William Ruto, in an official announcement, conveyed the nation's mourning and declared three days of mourning to honour the fallen KDF personnel.
As the country retreats into mourning, President Ruto affirmed General Ogolla's wish to be buried within 72 hours of his passing.
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