KDF chopper crash: Sergeant Cliphonce Omondi buried amid demands for answers

Sergeant Cliphonce Omondi of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has been laid to rest at Alego/Usonga in Siaya County amid demands for answers into the military chopper crash that killed him alongside Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Ogolla and eight others last month.

Speaking during the funeral ceremony at Ndiwo Primary School grounds on Friday, Siaya Governor James Orengo questioned the State over the chopper that was given to CDF Ogolla on the fateful day of his demise.

Governor Orengo said proper investigations must be done to ascertain the condition and state in which the chopper was before the fatal crash.

“Lazima tuulize kwa nini jenerali ambaye alikuwa anaongoza wanajeshi wote Kenya na huyu mtoto wetu wanaingia kwa chopper ambayo haikufaa. Hii chopper ambayo huyu mtoto wetu alikufa ndani yake ilikuwa imefanywa service lini na ililetwa lini?” Posed Orengo.

The Siaya County chief also took issue with the assignment that General Ogolla was sent to undertake in Elgeyo Marakwet, arguing that there was no business sending a whole CDF to inspect schools.

“How can you send a Chief of Defence Forces to inspect schools? There’;s nobody else who could be assigned that job? Tunataka kujua nini ambayo ilikuwa imeharibika sana ndio wamuondoe jenerali kuenda ambapo kifo ilitokea,” he said.

The Governor at the same time faulted the government’s plans of taking Kenyan soldiers for a peacekeeping mission in Haiti, lamenting that there is no way the administration can send its soldiers out when Kenya itself has no peace.

He thereby said that before sending solders to Haiti, the Kenya Kwanza government must first of all ensure that Kenya has adequate peace.

“Lazima serikali iweke bidii zaidi waone kwamba kuna usalama popote katika Kenya. Hii swala la kupeleka watu Haiti lazima tuichunguze sana, huwezi kwenda kwa jirani kuleta usalama kama boma lako halina usalama,” added Orengo.

The burial of Sergeant Omondi was also attended by Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo who lauded the KDF for showing solidarity since the unfortunate tragedy struck the country on April 18, 2024.

“I love the show of solidarity that is within the KDF family. You’ve done this from the first day when the unfortunate event happened, and you continue to do it for all the families that lost their loved ones. As a country we appreciate and honour the service that you give to all of us,” stated the PS.