Kenya military chief along with nine other military personnel dies in an helicopter crash in the west of the country.
The Eagle News Service:
General Francis Omondi Ogolla, the chief of Kenya’s military along with nine other military persons died yesterday after a military helicopter crashed in the west of the country. He was in the helicopter alongside 11 other military personnel. In this incident, only two persons survived.
William Ruto, the president of Kenya said that it was a moment of great sadness for the country. He had earlier convened an urgent security council meeting.
Ruto said that the crash happened at 11:20 GMT. The Kenyan air force has dispatched an air investigation team to establish the cause.
According to Ruto, the helicopter came down in Elgeyo Marakwet county, some 400km (250 miles) north-west of the capital Nairobi, shortly after take off.
General Francis was appointed in April of last year after serving as the commander of the air force and deputy chief of defence forces.
Ruto described his chief military adviser as a gallant officer who had died in the line of duty.
“Our motherland has lost one of most valiant generals, gallant officers, service men and women,” President Ruto told the nation.
On the sudden demise of military chief, Kenya is observing a three-day period of mourning, commencing today, with flags flying at half-mast.
General Francis first joined the Kenya Defence Forces on 24 April 1984. He was due to mark 40 years in the military next week.
He began his career as a 2nd lieutenant in the country’s air force, where he trained as a fighter pilot with the US air force. In 2018, he became commander of the air force.
Nine others killed in the crash were named as Brig Swale Saidi, Col Duncan Keittany, Lt Col David Sawe, Maj George Benson Magondu, Capt Sora Mohamed, Capt Hillary Litali, Snr Sgt John Kinyua Mureithi, Sgt Cliphonce Omondi, and Sgt Rose Nyawira.
The two survivors are in critical condition and undergoing treatment.
The officers had travelled to Kenya’s North Rift region, which has been plagued by banditry.
They were on a mission to reopen some of the schools closed following bandit attacks. They had also visited military officers deployed to stabilise the region.
