Economy

Saitoti, Ojode die in helicopter crash

Internal Security minister George Saitoti and his deputy, Orwa Ojode, were among six people who died on Sunday when a police helicopter crashed in Ngong Hills near Nairobi.

Also read: Kibaki: deaths of Saitoti, Ojode and four others a devastating loss to Kenya

The two, along with two bodyguards and two police pilots, were heading to Mr Ojode’s Ndhiwa Constituency for a church service when the accident occurred.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash of the Eurocopter AS 350—which was acquired in January from a South African firm—but witnesses said they saw it nose-dive before crashing and bursting into flames.

“Investigations will be conducted to establish the cause of the crash and the Cabinet will determine the number of days for mourning,” said Prime Minister Raila Odinga at the scene.

Bad coincidence

“It is a bad coincidence that the deaths of Prof Saitoti and Mr Ojode have occurred on the fourth anniversary of the deaths of the late minister Kipkalya Kones and the late MP for Sotik, Lorna Laboso, who also perished in a plane crash,” he said.

>Watch: Raila describes Ministers' deaths as great loss to Kenya

Mr Kones, who was Roads minister, and Ms Laboso, an assistant minister, died when their light aircraft crashed in Narok on June 10th, 2008.

The crash prompted the government to issue a directive barring senior officials from travelling in the same aircraft.
The latest crash brought back memories of top government officials who have died in plane accidents in what is set to shine the spotlight on the safety records of security agencies’ aircraft.

In 2006, ministers Bonaya Godana, Mirugi Kariuki and Titus Ngoyoni together with MPs

Guracha Galgallo and Abdi Sasura died when a Russian-made military aircraft carrying a peace delegation to Marsabit District crashed into a hill in bad weather.

The 67-year-old Saitoti, an ally of President Mwai Kibaki and a former long-serving vice president under the former President Daniel arap Moi, was a presidential candidate in the forthcoming General Election.

His death is a blow to President Kibaki who has seen three of his confidants die in a space of three months. The others are former Environment minister John Michuki’ who died in February and former Defence minister Njenga Karume.

“The death of the six Kenyans is a devastating loss to our country,” said President Kibaki in a message of condolence. “He (Prof Saitoti) leaves behind a rich legacy of service to the country.”

Impact

An eyewitness, Leonard Njoroge, told the Press that he saw the chopper sway before it crashed between 8 a.m and 8:30 a.m.
“The chopper crashed and exploded on impact and only its tail seemed intact,” added Mr Njoroge whose house is a stone’s throw away from the crash site. The plane destroyed trees as it missed my homestead.”

In 2009, the 54-year- old Ojode had survived after a helicopter crash-landed after moments after take-off at a stadium in Kapsabet, Rift Valley, while in the company of the then Police Commissioner Hussein Ali and Rift Valley PC Hassan Noor.

The deaths of Prof Saitoti and Mr Ojode come at a moment when the security docket has been thrust into prominence.

First, Kenya has been on high alert following a number of grenade attacks inside Kenya masterminded by Somali militants Al Shabaab
Kenyan troops have been fighting Al Shabaab militants in neighbouring Somalia since last October and the militants’ associates have killed several people in a series of grenade attacks in Nairobi, Northern Kenya and the Coast in reprisal to Kenya’s moves against them.

Both ministers had often visited the scenes of grenade attacks inside Kenya and vowing the country would crush the group.
Secondly, the duo were key in shepherding police reforms that are aimed at turning the security agency into a professional outfit devoid of political interference.

The security docket is one the pillar institutions along with the Judiciary and the electoral body that are key to Kenya hosting a peaceful General Election.

This was the anchor of a peace conference that was held in Mombasa on Friday and Saturday.

“At the conference, Prof Saitoti spoke of the need for peaceful elections and the measures his ministry was putting in place to ensure this happens,” said Mr Odinga. “The assistant minister was also present and this is now a sad memory indeed.”

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