Last month, a tragic helicopter crash resulted in the death of former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla and nine others. A report by Nation Africa now reveals that a Major General was supposed to accompany the late CDF in his mission.
According to Nation Africa, the investigation is underway, with interviews conducted with the two Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel who survived the crash. The military has promised a thorough investigation, aiming to uncover all the details behind the tragic incident.
The helicopter went down shortly after take-off at 2:20 PM on April 18 in the Sindar area of Elgeyo-Marakwet County. The Kenya Air Force pilots who had previously flown the helicopter are among those questioned by the investigation team.
The KDF has emphasized their commitment to getting to the root of the accident.
As part of this process, it was revealed that there were concerns about the operational mission General Ogolla was on. Normally, for such missions, a major-general in charge of the Western command, where General Ogolla was touring, should have been accompanying him or receiving him on the ground. This officer would then escort him to the various schools he was inspecting.
However, this protocol was not followed. Instead, the senior officer traveling with CDF Ogolla was a brigadier, which is a rank below a major-general. This deviation from standard procedure is now under scrutiny as part of the investigation.
The ongoing investigation into the crash that killed General Ogolla is crucial for bringing clarity and accountability.