Wamalwa questions delay in CDF Francis Ogolla's chopper crash report

Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa has raised questions over why it has taken the government close to a year to release the findings of the cause of the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Ogolla and 9 other soldiers in April last year.

Wamalwa, who fell short of alleging a cover up while addressing mourners at a funeral in Bumula on Saturday, wants those who failed to do due diligence on the suitability of the chopper to fly the CDF reprimanded.

“Iran wakati kumekuwa na ajali rais wa kule akakufa, ilichukua miezi tatu wakatoa report. Mbona report ya jenerali imechukua mwaka na sisi sasa tunaona inatoa report that is raising more questions than answers? We want accountability, we want the General to rest in peace,” said Wamalwa.

The remarks come after the government on Friday, in a summary report of the crash, told the country that the ill-fated Bell Huey chopper went down as a result of engine failure, despite getting a clean bill of health on its airworthiness hours before its mission.

The Ministry of Defence, in the report, revealed that the Bell Huey helicopter KAF 1501 suffered a surge, which is consistent with witness reports of a loud bang at the engine compartment.

The aircraft then experienced a complete power loss, which was followed by a drop in the engine's Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) and a change in engine noise. An engine's RPM indicates the engine's speed and power output.

The ministry assessed the entire mission from the team's departure from Wilson Airport to Kainuk, Chesogon, before heading to the Defence Forces Recruits Training School in Eldoret, and established that the crew had performed the requisite checks before commencing the flight.

Further, the government ruled out weather, crew coordination and pilots' experience as factors that could have caused the crash.

The ministry asserted that both pilots were mission-ready as outlined in the Flying Order Book (FOB) Standard Operating Procedures.

While planning for the mission, the government revealed that the crew had sufficient time to conduct Before Flight Checks by the first Line Personnel.

The aircraft was also serviced for 25 hours from April 2 to April 5 2024, to adhere to the highest standards of flight safety.