Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla is dead, President William Ruto has confirmed.
General Ogolla died on Thursday afternoon after a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) helicopter crashed in Sindar, Elgeyo-Marakwet County.
“Today at 2.20 pm, our nation suffered a tragic air accident at Sindar area, Kaben location, Tot division, in Elgeyo Marakwet County. I am deeply saddened to announce the passing of General Francis Omondi Ogolla, the Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces,” President Ruto said in a live address to the nation from State House, Nairobi on Thursday night.
The President said together with General Ogolla in the crash were 11 other military personnel, nine who also passed on while two survived.
The other officers who died in the crash are 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.
President Ruto also announced three days of national mourning, beginning Friday, April 19, in honour of General Ogolla and nine others who perished in the crash.
During this period flags will fly at half mast, the head of State said.
“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. Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals, gallant officers, service men and woman,” President Ruto said.
“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. A distinguished four-star general has fallen in the course of duty, and service to country,” the head of State added.
The President said a Kenya Air Force team had been dispatched to the site of the crash to investigate the crash.
About the Incident
Kenya’s military chief Gen. Francis Ogolla died in a helicopter crash west of the country, President William Ruto announced Thursday and declared three days of national mourning.
The helicopter was carrying 11 people, including Gen. Ogolla, when it crashed Thursday and caught fire in a remote area near the border with Uganda, killing nine people onboard, the president said.
It is unclear what caused the crash.
Gen. Ogolla, 61, was on a tour of the country’s troubled western region that has seen frequent attacks by local bandits.
He was appointed Kenya’s Chief of Defense Forces in April last year after Gen. Robert Kibochi retired.
Political controversy surrounded Ogolla even before his appointment, when he was accused by the country’s electoral commission chairperson as being part of a national security council delegation that tried to influence the outcome of the 2022 general election against President Ruto.
Ruto later explained that he called Gen. Ogolla before his appointment and said that, despite the election controversy, he was the most qualified for the job.
Gen Ogolla joined Kenya’s military force 40 years ago.
He was a graduate of École Militaire de Paris, the National Defence College of Kenya, Egerton University and the University of Nairobi.
Gen Ogolla, appointed Chief of Defence Forces in April last year, is hailed as a dedicated officer who served his country with valor.
The crash victims include high-ranking military personnel, with Brig Swale Saidi, Col Duncan Keittany, and others among the casualties.
The African Union Commission expresses condolences to Kenya, as the officers were on a mission to address banditry in the North Rift region.
This tragedy echoes a similar incident in June 2021, where 10 soldiers perished in a helicopter crash near Nairobi.
Gen. Ogolla is survived by his wife Aileen, two children and a grandson.
Source: www.theeastafrican.co.ke , www.africanews.com
