- Raila men also wants judicial inquiry to unearth the cause of the accident.
- President William Ruto has already initiated investigations into the crash.
Image: PSCU
Azimio La Umoja is now demanding a two-pronged probe into the circumstances that led to the helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla.
It dismissed military investigation as opaque and pushed for a parliamentary probe.
This mirrors a special parliamentary committee that investigated the murder of former Cabinet Minister Robert Ouko.
Azimio also wants the investigation to go alongside a judicial inquest to ensure no stone is left un-turned.
In both cases, opposition is demanding inclusion of the affected families through their representatives.
In its proposal, Azimio wants a bicameral approach that involves theNational Assembly and the Senate.
To achieve this, the coalition tasked Mathare MP Antony Oluoch and Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua to realise the approach.
“We have authorised Antony Oluoch and Senator Wambua to lead a process of establishing a joint parliamentary inquiry involving both the Senate and National Assembly into the unfortunate death of General Ogolla,” National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, who read the Parliamentary Group resolution, said.
The proposal mirrors the 15-member Parliamentary Committee formed during former President Mwai Kibaki's term to investigate Ouko's death.
Former Kisumu Town East MP Eric Gor Sunguh chaired the committee, which also had seconded staff from Parliament, security officers and forensic investigators.
Azimio said only parliamentary investigation and judicial inquiry can unearth the circumstances that led to the deaths citing contradictions between President William Ruto and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
“Already, we are seeing worrying signs. We have noted that Mr. Ruto [President] set up a separate investigation team away from the one gazetted by CS Kipchumba Murkomen in the gazette notice dated 8th April 2024,” Wandayi said.
The PG meeting at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation offices was chaired by Azimio leader Raila Odinga
Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka, DAPK leader Eugine Wamalwa, former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria, former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Kanu Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni were in attendance.
“The PG further called for a judicial inquest in the incident into the accident and the death as opposed to mere investigation led by the military that is closed to civilians,” Wandayi said.
“We also demand that families of the victims be independently represented in the investigation and inquest.”
Ogolla, a four-star general, was buried on Sunday after a fatal accident on Thursday in Sindar, Elgeyo Marakwet county at 2:20 pm.
He was onboard a Bell Huey II helicopter. Of the 12 military officers on board, only two survived.
Other officers who died in the crash are 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.
During Ogolla's burial, Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga asked Ogolla’s son Joel Ogolla to allow investigations.
“Let the security personnel do their work, this region has suffered several cases of assassinations and murder and only a proper investigation can rule out any foul play,” he said.
Raila also called for proper investigations.
“More importantly, the government owes this country a thorough, professional and transparent investigation into this death,” he said in a statement on April 19.
“Only such an investigation will put the family and the whole nation at peace.”
On Sunday, during Ogolla’s burial, Ruto said no stone will be left unturned.
"I have full confidence in KDF. They are our foremost professional entity in Kenya therefore I have full confidence that General Omenda and the team he has appointed will make sure that all details are laid bare on the accident that took away the life of General Ogolla," he said.
Yesterday, MPs suspended house business to mourn Ogolla and the other soldiers killed in the crash.
The MPs described Ogolla as a patriot, who gave the country his best.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula urged leaders from bandit prone regions to preach peace in respect to the fallen CDF.
“Members in the house and leaders from North Rift, Samburu, Turkana please sit and talk peace. If we did not have peace challenges, the General would not have gone there,” he said.
“I want to plead with the people of North Rift, we talked here two days ago, before we had an adjournment motion. It is time you looked yourselves in the mirror and made peace in your areas of work,” Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi said.
Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi said heads must roll.
“For now I just want to say that when a person of this stature dies in a manner that the general died, some heads also need to roll because we are calling for thorough investigations so that we can understand what happened,” said Atandi.