Kenya’s Deputy Military Chief, General Francis Ogolla, and nine others died in a helicopter crash on Thursday at around 2:20 pm (11:20 GMT) in Elgeyo Marakwet County, located 400 kilometers (250 miles) northwest of the capital, Nairobi. The military aircraft was on a visit to troops deployed in northwest Kenya to combat cattle rustling. It crashed just minutes after take-off near Cheptulel Boys Secondary School in West Pokot County. It is unclear what caused the crash.
During a news conference, President William Ruto expressed his condolences and referred to General Ogolla as being one of the country’s most valiant generals. He also mentioned that two soldiers survived the crash and were hospitalized. An air investigation team has been sent to find out the cause of the incident.
General Ogolla was appointed as the head of the Kenyan military by Ruto last year. He had previously served as the head of the Kenyan Air Force and had trained as a fighter pilot with the United States Air Force and as an instructor pilot at the Kenyan Air Force.
Last year, Ruto accused General Ogolla of being part of a plot to overturn the result of the 2022 presidential election. However, he still promoted him to the top military job citing him as the best-qualified person for the job.
The unrest in northwestern Kenya has caused the deaths of dozens of civilians and police officers.
