Chopper Carrying CS Murkomen Crashes

The accident occurred while the chopper was attempting to take off at Mwachon in Baringo County only to crash back to the ground.

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Mar 9, 2024 - 13:21 Updated: Mar 9, 2024 - 13:47
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Chopper Carrying CS Murkomen Crashes
Scene after chopper carrying CS Kipchumba Murkomen crashed in Baringo County on March 9, 2024. /PHOTO

A helicopter which was carrying Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has been involved in an accident.

The accident occurred while the chopper was attempting to take off at Mwachon in Baringo County only to crash back to the ground.

The CS was in the company of longtime ally and Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) board chairman Caleb Kositany when the accident occurred. The two were leaving for Migori at the time.

Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen during a meeting with Taita Taveta County leaders to discuss the progress of road projects in their areas on February 1, 2024. /KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN

Reports reaching Viral Tea's newsdesk at the time of publishing this article confirmed that no one was injured in the accident.

The chopper, registered as 5Y-PKI, is no stranger to incidents. In August 2020, it failed to take off after developing mechanical problems, and at the time, it was to ferry former Health CS Mutahi Kagwe and Health director-general Patrick Amoth back to Nairobi.

The two were on official duty in Kericho, with Kagwe having to alight after several attempts by the pilot to ignite the chopper in vain, prompting him to use his official car to Nairobi.

Kagwe toured the Kericho sub-county to assess the level of COVID-19 preparedness.

Wealthy Kenyans, including politicians during elections, hire helicopters and spend between Ksh150,000 to Ksh400,000 per hour. 

Some of the country's political and business elite frequently use private jets and helicopters to travel within the country and beyond its borders.

Other beneficiaries of air travel include the Kenya Police, Kenya Power and Kenya Wildlife Service as well as local airlines in Kenya.

The latest crash came after two people were killed after a training school aircraft they were flying collided with a passenger aircraft at Wilson Airport in Nairobi. 

The training school aircraft was however involved in two incidents before the fatal crash and both of them were investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department of the Ministry of Transport, with one of them termed by the department as serious.

Wreckage of a Cessna 172 which crashed at Nairobi National Park on March 5, 2024. /THE STAR

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