In a somber announcement today, President William Ruto confirmed the death of Kenya’s military chief, General Francis Omondi Ogolla, following a helicopter crash in western Kenya.
The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, claiming the lives of 10 other military personnel while leaving only two survivors.
General Ogolla, the most senior officer in the Kenyan military, was aboard the helicopter with 11 others when it went down shortly after takeoff in Elgeyo Marakwet County, approximately 400km northwest of Nairobi. The crash occurred at 14:20 local time.
Addressing the nation, President Ruto expressed profound grief, describing the day as one of “great sadness.” He lauded the Kenya’s military chief as a “gallant officer” who perished in the line of duty.
“Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals, gallant officers, service men and women,” Ruto stated.
In response to the tragedy, the president convened an urgent Security Council meeting and announced that Kenya will observe a three-day period of mourning, starting Friday with national flags to be flown at half-mast.
The victims of the crash alongside General Ogolla included Brigadier Swale Saidi, Colonel Duncan Keittany, Lieutenant 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 two critically injured survivors are currently receiving medical treatment.
The military chief had an illustrious military career, having joined the Kenya Defence Forces on April 24, 1984. He was a trained fighter pilot, receiving training with the U.S. Air Force.
His military service saw him rise through the ranks to become the commander of the air force in 2018 before his appointment as the chief of defense forces in April of the previous year.
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The Kenyan Air Force has dispatched an air investigation team to the crash site to determine the cause of the accident.
The international community has also responded, with Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the African Union Commission, expressing condolences and extending thoughts and prayers to the people of Kenya during this tragic time.
The officers were reportedly on a mission to the North Rift region, a zone affected by banditry, with aims to reopen schools closed due to security threats and stabilize the area.
This tragedy echoes a past incident in June 2021, when at least 10 soldiers perished in a helicopter crash near Nairobi.
