- Kenya's Ministry of Interior marked Mashujaa Day 2026 by paying tribute to General Francis Ogolla and nine KDF personnel killed on duty
- The ten officers died when an Air Force Huey helicopter crashed in Elgeyo Marakwet in April 2024 during Operation Maliza Uhalifu
- The officers were on a working visit to troops and schools in the volatile North Rift border region when the aircraft went down
Nancy Odindo is a Current Affairs Editor at TUKO.co.ke, covering general news. Odindo has over six years of journalism experience and joined TUKO.co.ke in 2023.
Kenya's Ministry of Interior and National Administration used Mashujaa Day 2026 to honour the memory of former Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla and nine Kenya Defence Forces personnel who perished in a military helicopter crash in Elgeyo Marakwet.
Source: UGC
The ministry posted a tribute on Tuesday, October 20, acknowledging the soldiers as heroes whose sacrifice remained central to the pursuit of peace in the North Rift region.
The message framed their deaths within the context of Operation Maliza Uhalifu, a security operation targeting banditry along the volatile border shared by West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
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"Mashujaa Day 2026 in the North Rift carries a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by our security officers in the pursuit of lasting peace. Particularly, we remember General Francis Ogolla and nine other @kdfinfo personnel who lost their lives in Elgeyo Marakwet while on duty in connection with Operation Maliza Uhalifu," the ministry said.
KDF marks Mashujaa Day with tribute
The Kenya Defence Forces also issued a statement on the occasion, describing Mashujaa Day as a moment to reflect on the courage and selflessness of those who have served the nation across generations.
"A nation's greatness is measured not only by the milestones it achieves, but by the courage of its people, the sacrifices of its heroes and the values that unite its generations," the KDF said in its statement.
The military further called on all Kenyans to embrace patriotism and uphold national values in honour of those who gave their lives in service.
"Their legacy remains a call to every Kenyan to embrace patriotism, uphold our national values and serve with honour, purpose and distinction," the statement read.
The Ministry of Interior's tribute underscored the continued human cost of efforts to stabilise the North Rift, a region that has experienced persistent inter-community violence and insecurity in recent years.
The crash that claimed ten lives
In other news, the Kenya Air Force Huey helicopter went down in the Kaben area of Endo Ward, Elgeyo Marakwet, on the afternoon of April 18, 2024, shortly after lifting off from Cheptulel Boys Secondary School. The aircraft burst into flames on impact, killing all ten people on board.
Source: Facebook
The officers had been conducting a working visit to troops deployed in the region under Operation Maliza Uhalifu and were also inspecting renovation works at schools in the area.
Their presence was tied to a wider government effort to assess the security situation and determine whether schools in the conflict-affected border zone could safely reopen.
The nine officers who died alongside General Ogolla were Brigadier Swale Saidi, Colonel Duncan Keittany, Lieutenant Colonel David Sawe, Major George Benson Magondu, Captain Sora Mohamed, Captain Hillary Litali, Senior Sergeant John Kinyua Mureithi, Sergeant Cliphonce Omondi, and Sergeant Rose Nyawira.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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