Post date: Jun 10, 2012 12:8:4 PM
Vice president Kalonzo Musyoka said all on board including Saitoti and Ojode had perished."All those who were onboard this helicopter number AS350 which belonged to the police died. it was enroute to Oyugis for a church service, onboard was cabinet minister George Saitoti, assistant minister Ojode and the two captains of this plane," said Musyoka at the scene.
Kenya's Internal Security minister and his deputy are among several people killed in a police helicopter crash in the early hours of the morning.
NGONG, KENYA (JUNE 10, 2012) (REUTERS) - Kenya's minister for internal security, George Saitoti and his deputy Orwa Ojode were killed when a police helicopter crashed into a forest just outside the capital early on Sunday (June 10).
A former long-serving vice president under the former President Daniel Arap Moi, Saitoti, was also a presidential candidate in an election expected to be held by March next year.
Eyewitness, John Makau described what happened.
"At about 8.30, we heard a chopper just swaying trying to land and I thought it was mechanical problems but we heard a boom so we a had to rush and see what's up, we thought it was a simple thing but it was so delicate and the fire was so thick, there is nothing we could have done," said Makau.
Debris of the burnt-out blue police helicopter were strewn across a forest where government officials and curious locals jostled to catch a glimpse.
It was not immediately clear what had caused the crash. Initially, more people were feared to have been on board the helicopter.
Saitoti, an ally of President Mwai Kibaki, was the leading government voice against Somali militants al Shabaab, often visiting the scenes of grenade attacks inside Kenya and vowing the east African nation would crush the group.
Kenya's troops have been fighting al Shabaab in neighbouring Somalia since last October. The militants have killed several people in a string of grenade attacks in Nairobi, the far north and the coast in retaliation to Kenya's moves against them.