Kenya Military Chief, Nine Others Died In Crashed Helicopter
Kenya’s Government has sent a team to investigate the helicopter crash that killed military chief, General Francis Ogolla and nine others.
The nine others killed in the crash were named as Brigadier Swale Saidi, Cololnel Duncan Keittany, Leuitenant Colonel David Sawe, Major George Benson Magondu, Captain Sora Mohamed, Captain Hillary Litali, Senior Sergeant John Kinyua Mureithi, Sergeant Cliphonce Omondi, and Sergeant Rose Nyawira.
The military aircraft that went down on Thursday afternoon shortly after takeoff in the North-West of the country.
The bodies of those who died were flown to Nairobi and the two survivors are being treated in hospital.
Announcing three days of national mourning, President William Ruto said the deaths were a moment of great sadness for the country.
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Ruto told journalists last May that he appointed Ogolla despite him being among those who tried to overturn his narrow election win against opposition leader Raila Odinga in 2022.
When I looked at his CV, he was the best person to be (a) general, Ruto said, adding his decision went against the wishes of many people.
A trained fighter pilot, Ogolla 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.
However, in a latest report, President Ruto said Ogolla and nine other senior military officers died in a helicopter crash on Thursday.
He added that only two survived the air accident.
Today at 2:20 pm, our nation suffered a tragic air accident… I am deeply saddened to announce the passing on of General Francis Omondi Ogolla, Ruto said.
