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Chief of Defense Forces Francis Ogolla, nine others killed in chopper crash

The late General Francis Ogolla. (Photo: PCS)

By Mary Wambui | Thursday, April 18, 2024

The head of state announced a national three-day mourning period commencing April 19, 2024. During this period, flags will fly at half-mast.

The Chief of Defense Forces, Francis Ogolla, was killed in a chopper crash at the Kaben-Cheptulel border between Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties on Thursday afternoon.

Ogolla died at the age of 61, President William Ruto said on Thursday evening, adding that the crash claimed ten lives. Two people survived.

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Other people killed in the crash include Brigadier Suale Saidi, Colonel Duncan Keitan, Lieutenant Colonel David Sawe, Major George Benson Magodu (pilot), Captain Sorah Mohamed, Captain Hilary Litary, Snr Sgt John Kinya Muriithi, Sgt Cliffonce Muriithi and Sgt Rose Nyawira.

President Ruto said the country has lost one of her most valiant generals, gallant officers, servicemen, and

woman.

"This is a moment of great sadness for myself, as the Commander in Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, the Kenya Defence Forces fraternity and the nation at large... The demise of General Ogolla is a painful loss to me, and certainly, the sorrow we all feel about his passing is shared by all the people of Kenya, and especially the KDF fraternity," he said.

He added that the Kenya Air Force has constituted and dispatched an air investigations team, to establish the cause of the crash.

The head of state announced a national three-day mourning period commencing April 19, 2024. During this period, flags will fly at half-mast.

The CDF had toured the banditry-prone region to assess the security situation and possible reopening of schools along the Marakwet- West Pokot border.

After the meeting, the Kenya Air Force Huey Helicopter took off from Cheptulel Boys Secondary School, where an earlier security meeting was held to assess the security situation in the region.

Moments later, it crashed at the Kaben-Cheptulel border, busting into flames.

The area was then cordoned off to allow for rescue efforts following the incident that happened less than a year after he was appointed the head of the military.

General Ogolla will automatically be replaced by Vice Chief of Defence Forces Lt General Charles Muriu Kahariri.

General Ogolla took the reins of power on April 29, replacing General Robert Kibochi, whose tenure had come to an end.

Prior to his promotion as CDF, General Ogolla served as the Vice Chief of Defense Forces for two years.

He becomes the first CDF to perish in a helicopter crash in the country.

General Ogolla is survived by his wife, Aileen Ogolla, two children, and a grandson.

Ogolla mantra

In his first televised interview after taking over as CDF, General Ogolla spelt out his vision for KDF, that is to build a solid force with a shared mission under the mantra "One force One mission".

"When I leave, let Kenyans judge me. But I want to leave behind an effective military that is respected world over and able to deliver on its mission wherever, whenever," he said in the interview with KBC.

The avid golfer said he had to drop some of his hobbies, including the gentleman's game, to concentrate on his increased responsibilities.

"I love to read, and I used to love golf, but the moment I was appointed Chief of Defense Forces, I more or less kept my golf side aside, and I said, let me focus on this job wholeheartedly," he revealed during the interview.