Former Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa has called on Kenyans to stop all the speculation and misinformation circulating on social media over the crashed Kenya Defence Forces chopper.
The crash claimed the lives of 10 KDF officers including the Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla. Two officers who survived the crash are in critical condition.
According to Wamalwa, Kenyans should allow the investigative agencies to carry out investigations, which will reveal the actual cause of the crash.
He noted that the CDF is the second most protected person in the country, after the President and that Kenyans should exercise patience as they wait for the findings from the probe.
"He becomes the first General to die in the line of duty and we are calling on Kenyans not to speculate but to allow the security agencies to carry out thorough investigations into this accident so that we know what happened."
"The CDF is the most protected person after the Commander-in-Chief and therefore it is important thorough investigations are carried out and we know what happened. In the meantime, we want to ask Kenyans to be patient and we pray for the family and the larger KDF family for this terrible loss," the former Defence CS said.
Wamalwa who worked with Ogolla while he was the Vice CDF said the country has not only lost a soldier but also a gentleman.
He added that it was an honour to serve alongside Ogolla, insisting that he did his best to serve the country.
"We are greatly grieved by what has happened this evening. I take this opportunity to pass my condolences to the family and the entire larger KDF family for losing not just a great soldier but an officer and a gentleman," Wamalwa said.
After the crash, President William Ruto in a televised address said that the Kenya Airforce had constituted and dispatched a team to investigate and establish the cause of the air crash that killed CDF Ogolla and nine others.
"The Kenya Air Force has constituted and dispatched an air investigations team, to establish the cause of the air crash," Ruto said.
Other nine officers who passed away include Brig Swaleh Saidi, Col Duncan Keitany, Lt Col David Sawe, Major George Benson Magondu (who was also the pilot), Capt Sorah Mohamed, Capt Hillary Litali, Senior Sergeant John Kinywa Mureithi, Sergent Cliffonce Omondi and Sergent Rose Nyawira.