Truth Behind Paul Kagame’s Rejection of US Helicopters After CDF Ogolla Crash
On Tuesday, there were widespread rumors that Rwandan President Paul Kagame declined an offer from the American government of Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters, also known as Bell Huey II, after an air crash last week that resulted in the death of Kenyan Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla.
The rumors originated from a photo circulating on social media, sparking extensive discussions on the subject.
The reports, which trended heavily throughout the morning, stated that Kagame turned down the United States’ donation due to worries about safety.
The rumors were so widespread that local politicians began sharing images that appeared to be the front page of The East African newspaper, claiming it featured this discussion as its main story.
Gossipa2z.com conducted a fact-check and found that the reports were inaccurate, contradicting earlier claims.
The fraudulent issue was dated from April 26, 2017, to June 30, 2017, aiming to imitate genuine East African editions that are released every week.
It’s interesting to observe that the individuals who fabricated the matter opted for an earlier date.
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Additionally, according to The East African’s style guide, titles should be written in title case rather than in all uppercase as seen in the counterfeit edition.
Our study confirmed that the genuine East African platform’s sole article on Huey II helicopters in 2017 was titled: “Kenya and Uganda Receive Helicopters for Strengthened Conflict Against Al Shabaab.”
The article described how both nations obtained military aircraft to support the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in their battle against the extremist group.
The tragic plane crash that took the life of CDF Ogolla has highlighted concerns about the safety of the nation’s military equipment. Additionally, this crash marks the fifth incident involving a KDF aircraft in recent months.
After Ogolla’s passing, Major General John Mugaravai Omenda, the head of the Kenya Air Force, established a team to investigate the incident.
President William Ruto assured that the team would thoroughly investigate the matter to reveal the truth.
“I have full confidence in KDF. They are our foremost professional entity in Kenya therefore I believe in General Omenda and the team he has appointed to make sure that all details are laid bare on the accident that took away the life of General Ogolla,” Ruto stated during the memorial service in Siaya County on Sunday.
Truth Behind Paul Kagame’s Rejection of US Helicopters After CDF Ogolla Crash