STORY: Late Kenyan military chief laid to rest
SHOOTING TIME: April 21, 2024
DATELINE: April 22, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:53
LOCATION: SIAYA, Kenya
CATEGORY: MILITARY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the funeral
2. SOUNDBITE (English) WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President
3. various of the funeral

STORYLINE:

The funeral of Francis Ogolla, chief of the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF), was held on Sunday in Siaya County.

The military chief, who was killed in a helicopter crash in the northwestern part of Kenya on April 18, was laid to rest at his home.

Kenyan President William Ruto attended the funeral.

SOUNDBITE (English) WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President
"I am very confident as I was there that in the hands of General Ogolla, the security of Kenya was assured. He demonstrated in strategy, in word and in deed that he loved this country, and that he wanted the best for Kenya. And he stopped at nothing to make sure Kenya was safe and every soldier, wherever they were, inside and outside the country, was serving to the best of their capability. And therefore, as we celebrate his life, many people don't understand the loss that we have incurred as a country."

Ogolla was aboard the KDF Huey helicopter with 11 other military personnel. The helicopter took off from a local primary school in Elgeyo Marakwet County when it went down and burst into flames at about 2:20 p.m. local time (1120 GMT).

Ten military officers, including Ogolla, died in the crash, while two others survived and are now hospitalized.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Siaya, Kenya.
(XHTV)