Kenyan defence chief, senior officers die in helicopter crash

A military helicopter crash has claimed lives of Kenya’s Defence Chief, General Francis Ogolla and nine other top brass in Elgeyo Marakwet county, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) Northwest of Nairobi, the country’s capital on Thursday.

Penpushing reports that President William Ruto confirmed the sad development which occurred in a remote area of the country, added that he was deeply saddened that the country suffered a tragic accident

The President who had convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council after news of the accident emerged, said nine other gallant military personnel on board were also killed while two survived.

Penpushing further reports that Ruto who confirmed that the crash occurred at about 2.20pm explained that the Kenya Air Force has dispatched an air investigation team to establish the cause of the crash, as at the time of filing this report

‘Today at 2:20 pm, our nation suffered a tragic air accident… I am deeply saddened to announce the passing of General Francis Omondi Ogolla. A distinguished four-kistar general has fallen in the course of duty and in the service of the country. Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals, gallant officers, service men and woman’, Ruto lamented.

Penpushing also reports that sources said the helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff from Chesegon, where the defence chief and his entourage had been visiting a school, while as at the time of this report, a three days mourning had been announced effective from Friday with official flags flying at half-mast.

The President stated that the 61-year-old Ogolla, had left Nairobi on Thursday morning on an Air Force Huey helicopter to visit troops deployed in the North Rift area in Operation Maliza Uhalifu (Operation End Crime in Swalihi), and other sites.

Penpushing reports that Kenyan authorities have long battled insecurity in the Rift Valley region, with armed bandits and cattle rustlers rampant, just as a police officer disclosed that the helicopter burst into flames after crashing

‘The helicopter burst into flames after crashing and it had more than 10 senior commanders on board including General Ogolla. They were in the area on a security mission because there are KDF (Kenya Defence Forces) soldiers deployed in the region,” he added.

Penpushing further reports that it is recalled that the deceased was appointed Chief of the Defence Forces by the President in April 2023 after a stint as Deputy, despite him being among those who tried to overturn his narrow election win against opposition leader Raila Odinga in 2022.

The President disclosed that when I looked at Ogolla Curriculum Vitae (CV), a trained fighter pilot who joined the KDF in April 1984, rising through the ranks to command the Kenyan Air Force in 2018, a post he held for three years, he was the best person to be a General adding his decision went against the wishes of many people.

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