The daughter of Chief of Defence Forces Gen Francis Ogolla has written a tearful tribute to her father.
Ogolla died in a chopper crash in Elgeyo Marakwet county on Thursday afternoon.
His daughter, Lorna Amondi said her father did his best for the better.
“My father. Pursuer of excellence. Most empathetic and effective leader and statesman just went down in chopper crash in West Pokot,” she said in a post on social media.
“Doing what he did best for the better part of the last 40 years - trying to keep Kenya safe. One day I shall tell beautiful stories of how he taught with his actions and not with words. But today - I rush home to send him off to the great beyond.”
The Kenya Air Force Huey Helicopter took off from a local primary school but went down and burst into flames.
The cause of the crash has not been established.
This is the first such accident to claim the lives of senior military officers.
The officials had opened a local school which had been refurbished by the military when it went down.
The news of the death of the officers prompted President William Ruto to abruptly cancel a drama festival event and fly to Nairobi for a National Security Council meeting at State House Nairobi.
Earlier, the defence council was summoned to a meeting following news of the fatal chopper crash.
Gen Ogolla was among those on board. At least ten other senior officers were aboard the chopper.
By the time of going to press the bodies of those who perished had been flown to Kahawa Garrison for preservation.
