Kenya’s government dispatched a team to investigate a helicopter crash that claimed the life of military chief Gen Francis Ogolla and nine others. The cause of the crash remains unclear.
Gen Ogolla was one of 12 passengers on the military aircraft that went down on Thursday afternoon shortly after takeoff in the northwest region of the country.
The deceased were transported to Nairobi, while the two survivors are receiving medical care in a hospital.
President William Ruto declared three days of national mourning, acknowledging the deaths as a profound moment of sorrow for the nation.
Gen Ogolla assumed the role of Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces in April of the previous year.
President Ruto honoured his principal military adviser as a brave officer who had perished while serving the country.
“Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals, gallant officers, service men and women,” Mr Ruto told the nation.
Gen Ogolla first joined the Kenya Defence Forces on 24 April 1984, according to the Kenyan defence ministry’s website.
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, the ministry says. In 2018, he became commander of the air force.
The 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.
