A promising aviation career was tragically cut short after a young pilot and his student died in an aircraft crash during a training exercise in Kipeto, Kajiado West, on Friday morning.
The aircraft, belonging to the Kenya School of Flying, crashed near a wind power plant while carrying the two occupants.
Preliminary reports indicate that heavy morning mist and poor visibility may have contributed to the accident.
Reports suggest that the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing after encountering difficulties caused by the weather conditions, but the aircraft eventually went down.
The pilot was identified as Alex Oluka, a resident of Moding, Kolait Village in Teso North, Busia County.
Oluka’s death shocked his family, friends, and the community that had watched him overcome numerous challenges to pursue his dream of becoming a professional pilot.
His journey to aviation was marked by resilience and determination. He excelled academically at Kolanya Boys High School, scoring an A (Plain) in the 2021 KCSE exams.
Despite coming from a humble background, Oluka remained determined to join the aviation industry.
However, financial difficulties threatened to delay his dream until Teso North MP Oku Kaunya stepped in through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) to support his pilot training at the Kenya School of Flying, Oryx Airpark in Kajiado.
On August 22, 2026, Oluka graduated as a professional pilot and secured an opportunity to work as a flight instructor.
Picture: Hon Kaunya and Oluka.
His family had started to hope that his success would transform their lives. Those hopes were shattered by the crash.
MP Kaunya mourned Oluka as a pioneer NG-CDF pilot whose dedication and talent had inspired many.
He described Oluka’s death as a painful loss to his family, friends, colleagues, and the NG-CDF fraternity, while offering condolences to his parents, Mr and Mrs Leonard Otolim.
The families and aviation fraternity continue to mourn the loss of the young pilot and his student as investigations into the cause of the crash continue.