Murkomen Dismisses Claims of Probing General Ogolla’s Plane Crash
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has denied allegations that he formed a team to investigate the crash of a military helicopter, which resulted in the death of Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla and nine other soldiers.
The Cabinet Secretary was replying to a comment from lawyer Miguna Miguna, who criticized reports that Murkomen had assembled the team in question.
“As a department of transport, we don’t investigate military planes. Our work is strictly restricted to civilian airplanes,” Murkomen responded to Miguna.
In his post, Miguna had laughed off the claims made by a section of leaders that the CS had formed a team, saying only the President of Kenya has the powers to form such a team and gazette it.
Miguna stated that the Chief of Defence Forces holds a higher rank than both the deputy president and the Cabinet Secretary. He argued that it was inappropriate for people to speak about a team being formed by the Cabinet Secretary.
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“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,” Miguna said.
“Moreover, the military will not cooperate with that purely civilian team, honor 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,” Miguna added.
On Thursday, General Ogolla lost his life in a military helicopter crash in Elgeyo Marakwet while carrying out his official duties.
Nine other soldiers also perished in the crash, with only two surviving.
Ogolla was laid to rest on Sunday at his rural home in Alego-Usonga, Siaya county, in a ceremony attended by President William Ruto and other high-ranking officials in the government and military.
Ruto promised to get to the bottom of the crash and said he will ensure the findings of the investigations are made public once they are complete.
Murkomen Dismisses Claims of Probing General Ogolla’s Plane Crash
