Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has come out to set the record straight concerning the investigations into the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of departed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla and nine other military officials.
Murkomen, while reacting to concerns raised by lawyer Miguna Miguna, clarified that the Transport Department within his Ministry does not investigate military planes.
“As a department of transport, we don’t investigate military planes. Our work is strictly restricted to civilian airplanes,” Murkomen wrote on X.
Miguna Miguna had blasted Murkomen while referring to a gazette notice that announced the investigation team formed to probe the accident.
Miguna argued that Murkomen did not have the mandate to investigate the accident involving the military chopper.
“I have heard people, including prominent Kenyan politicians and advocates who should know better, claiming that there is an “investigation team” formed to probe General Francis Omondi Ogolla’s death.
“When did President @WilliamsRuto establish or gazatte the Probe Team?
“Remember that no one except the President of the Republic has the mandate to set up a team investigating the death of Kenya’s Chief of Defence Staff. Not a cabinet secretary.
“The team announced by CS @kipmurkomen cannot legally investigate and has no (technical and legal) capacity to investigate the circumstances surrounding General Ogolla’s death.
“The RANK of a Deputy President and/ or a CS is below that of a CDF.
“Moreover, the military will not cooperate with that purely civilian team, honour its summons and comply with any directives from or findings by it.
“We must be a country that adheres to the rule of law and avoids the tendency of engaging in PR exercises on such grave matters!
“(PS: I have not mentioned Joel Ogolla’s name because he is IRRELEVANT to this issue.),” Miguna Miguna wrote on X.
Ogolla’s death
President William Ruto announced the death of General Francis Ogolla in a helicopter crash on Thursday afternoon April 18, 2024.
Addressing the press in the evening, President Ruto said the military chopper crashed at the Sindar area in Elgeyo Marakwet County at around 2:20 pm.
“Today, at 2:20 pm, our nation suffered a tragic air accident in the Sindar area, Keben location, Tot division, in Elgeyo Marakwet County. I am deeply saddened to announce the passing on of General Francis Omondi Ogolla, the Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces,” he said.
Ruto went on to announce that the ill-fated helicopter was also carrying 11 other military officers, nine of whom were killed alongside CDF Ogolla in the crash, leaving only two survivors.
By K24