Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka is standing by his belief that the fatal helicopter crash that killed Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Ogolla “was not an accident” and says he is ready to give a statement to detectives.
Speaking on Thursday, the former vice-president dismissed last week’s Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) report that blamed an engine malfunction, arguing only an independent commission of inquiry can settle lingering questions.
“Tell DCI Amin to summon me right now; tutaenda kule Kenya nzima kwa miguu, na Gen Z wote … it’s not the CDF’s job to be sent to inspect a primary school,” Kalonzo said, hinting at foul play.
He noted that the President and the CDF are among Kenya’s most protected officials: “To bring down a helicopter carrying the CDF is not only negligence but criminal negligence.”
Kalonzo also claimed unnamed figures had earlier vowed to oust Ogolla over his role on the National Security Council, adding: “Maybe they were thinking it was over.”
The Ministry of Defence investigation, released on 11 April 2025, found the Bell Huey helicopter KAF 1501 suffered a sudden engine surge, leading to total power loss moments before it crashed in Elgeyo Marakwet on 18 April 2024, killing Ogolla and nine others.
Investigators ruled out crew error and said the aircraft had “a relatively high level of reliability” prior to the mission.
Kalonzo’s renewed push keeps pressure on the government amid public unease over a spate of military air accidents. His call for a commission – mirroring inquiries held after past high-profile crashes – opens another front in the opposition’s wider critique of President William Ruto’s administration.
Whether the Directorate of Criminal Investigations takes up Kalonzo’s invitation could determine if the debate shifts from Parliament to the courtroom – or fizzles out as yet another unresolved chapter in Kenya’s aviation safety record.
