The military chopper crash on Thursday April 18 in Elgeyo Marakwet increased the number of such accidents that have claimed lives in the service.
At least five choppers have crashed in a series of incidents in the last three years, raising questions about their safety.
Officials are anxious over the rate of accidents involving military choppers and demand overhaul of the fleet.
Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla, onboard the Kenya Air Force Huey helicopter left Nairobi on Thursday morning to visit troops deployed in the North Rift under Operation Maliza Uhalifu. The plane crashed moments after the take-off in a school in the area.
Two Kenya Defence Forces pilots were in November 2023 admitted to hospital after their chopper crashed in Kisamis area, Kajiado West.
The Fennec helicopter hit a power cable as it flew to Nairobi. Officials said the incident happened on November 9 evening.
It was the second such Fennec helicopter to crash in four months. In July 2023, a similar chopper crashed in Chemolingot stadium in Baringo county.
The chopper was carrying officials who were part of the entourage accompanying Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on a security tour of the volatile region.
KDF said the helicopter hit a tree and crashed during take-off. All persons onboard, including government officials, escaped unhurt.
On September 18, 2023, at least eight Kenya Defence Forces personnel died in a helicopter crash in Lamu county.
The Department of Defence headquarters said the Kenya Air Force Huey helicopter crashed at night while on night patrol.
In November, an unknown number of people who were on board a military chopper were injured when it crashed moments after take-off from Buna Hospital in Wajir North.
The Mi17 Kenya Air Force chopper was badly damaged after it dropped to the ground as the pilot tried to lift off.
In 2021, a military chopper crashed in Oltepesi area, a few kilometres from Kisamis in Kajiado, killing 10 Kenya Air Force personnel while 13 others sustained injuries.
Investigations into the incidents are ongoing but the reports are rarely made public.
The accident on April 18 is still under probe amid questions on the state of the fleet in the service.
Gen Ogolla and nine other military officers and servicemen died in a helicopter crash on Thursday in Sindar area, Kaben location, Tot division, in Elgeyo Marakwet county.
Together with him in the crash were 11 other military personnel. Two survived. Among the dead were Brig 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.
The affected chopper is among those that had been acquired from the US in 2016. Kenya Air Force took delivery of six Bell UH-1H Huey II helicopters from the United States.
The cause of the Thursday April 18 crash is yet to be known. Officials said then the helicopters were to be used to assist with counter-terrorism operations in the region and assist troops who are part of the African Union mission.
The Bell Huey II is an upgraded version of the popular Bell UH-1H medium-lift helicopter. The upgrade kit uses refurbished zero-timed airframes together with upgraded engines, drive trains, avionics and rotors.
The upgrades provide significant advancements over the standard UH-1H platform, including improved hovering capabilities and longer TBO intervals for time-sensitive components.
The helicopter can be configured for a variety of missions including disaster response, firefighting, military support, cargo, special ops and search.
Gen Ogolla was to inspect the ongoing school renovations works in Chesitet Primary School, Cheptulel Boys High School, Chepoton Primary School, Ksaa Primary School and Sablimoi Primary School.
President William Ruto said the CDF had been briefed on the security situation by a multi-agency team stationed at Chesitet in Baringo county, after which he proceeded to the Kainuk Forward Operating Base in Turkana county, where he addressed troops, commending them for their resilience and operational successes.
The CDF and his entourage departed from Kainuk to Chesegon, West Pokot county, where he launched the rehabilitation of Cheptulel Boys High School.
He then departed Chesegon for the Recruits Training School in Uasin Gishu county, where he was scheduled to inspect construction facilities at the institution.
“Unfortunately, the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. This is a moment of great sadness for myself, as the Commander-In-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, the Kenya Defence Forces fraternity and the nation at large. Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals, gallant officers, service men and woman,"the President said.
Ruto said the Kenya Air Force has constituted and dispatched an air investigations team to establish the cause of the air crash.
In honour of the life and the distinguished military career of the fallen general, who lost his life not just while in office, but in active military duty, the nation would observe three days of mourning commencing Friday.
During this time of national mourning, the Kenyan flag, those of the Kenya Defence Forces and the Eastern Africa community will fly at half-mast in throughout Kenya and missions abroad.