DAVID OSIANY mourns the senior NIS officer who took his own life - Reveals that he had complained about his work environment at NIS headquarters.

Thursday, June 6, 2024 - Former Chief Administrative Secretary David Osiany has paid a glowing tribute to the late Tom Adala, a senior national intelligence officer who took his own life at his Kilimani home.

This is what he wrote on his Facebook account.

I have spent the day mourning the tragic loss of my brother and true friend Tom Adala.

Tom was an astute intelligence officer who worked professionally throughout his years with a rare passion for this nation.

He rose to become Assistant Director and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the DG of NIS, as well as several other ranks including being the Foreign Relations Officer in Kenya’s embassy in New York, Head of Research and Strategy for Counterterrorism Centre among others.

Tom was dependable, loving, loyal to his friends but even more, loyal to the flag of our nation. He was a rare gem. In a world where many selfish people occupy critical roles for self aggrandizement, Adala served with utmost honesty and zeal, keeping his eye on the prize: a better nation. He just did his job and went home.

I have known Tom from my varsity days. He has been a true big brother. We called one another Top Luo. He influenced me to get into the barber business, which he loved as evidenced by his Gentleman’s Quarter (GQ) chains across the city. I later learnt that this business, just like many others, is not for the faint hearted.

I am still at a loss about the demise of Adala. Reports of possible suicide are even more disturbing and heartbreaking. Why would a man with so much promise like him, who was keen on pursuing his PhD, who had experienced all motions of life terminate his dreams so brutally?

I remember last meeting some time in March at the Kisumu airport on the day as he was seeing off his sister. He had come from burying another friend of ours Ceaser Handa.

We discussed several things and laughed heartily as always. Tom was as accomplished as his late dad Amb. Fanuel Adala Otuko, who was the 6th KER (Supreme Leader) of the Luo community and who was also Kenya’s pioneer ambassador to USSR.

A few media reports say that Adala was depressed. I feel bad most of us didn’t see this coming at all. And that’s what hurts most. Tom may have voiced concerns about the work environment as well as personal matters to a few, but no one would remotely imagine it would end here.

If the suicide is true, then dear friends, nothing should cause any of us to end our lives.

 Life is tough, but its rough ebbs often change into calmness and in the end, if we steady ourselves, something good will happen.

Top Luo, what a man! From whence cometh such another?! Till we meet again at Jesus’s feet.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.