Nairobi — President William Ruto has declared three days of national mourning following the death of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Francis Ogolla and nine other Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel in a plane crash.
President Ruto who confirmed the tragic death of the CDF alongside the nine officers in a televised address to the Nation on Thursday ordered the lowering of national, regional, and regimental flags to half-mast from Friday.
He described Gen Ogolla's death as "a painful loss to me".
Ruto listed the nine officers accompanying Gen Ogolla as; Brig Swaleh Said, Col Duncan Keitan Lt Col David Sawe, Maj George Magondu (Pilot), Capt Sorah Mohamed, CaptHillary Butali, Snr Sgt John Kinyua, Sgt Cliffonce Omondi, and Sgt Rose Nyawira.
"This is a very sad moment, a moment of great sadness for me as the Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces; it is a tragic moment for KDF and it is a most unfortunate day for the nation at large," he said.
"Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant Generals. We've also lost gallant officers, servicemen and women."
The ten officers were travelling in a Huey Helicopter operated by the Kenya Air Force, the Head of State said. Another two officers survived the crash.
Gen Ogolla left Nairobi to visit KDF troops in the Northrift region and inspect construction projects in three local primary schools.
He also received a security briefing in Baringo before proceeding to a Forward Operation Base in Kainuk, Turkana, where he addressed troops.
Gen Ogolla then left for West Pokot where he launched the rehabilitation of a school and later departed for Uasin Gishu where he was set to inspect another set of construction projects.
President Ruto said the crash, shortly after take-off, occurred as Ogolla and his entourage departed from West Pokot.
Ruto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, said KDF had dispatched a team of air crash investigators to probe the crash.
The Head of State addressed the press flanked by top KDF officials including led by Vice CDF Lt Gen Charles Kahariri, Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome who attended an emergency National Security Council (NSC) session at State House Nairobi which preceded the announcement.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary/CS Foreign Affairs Musalia Mudavadi and Interior's Kithure Kindiki also attended the emergency NSC session.
