THE STORY OF GEORGE MAGONDU: THE PILOT OF THE MILITARY AIRCRAFT CARRYING GENERAL OGOLLA AND CREW

The family of George Magondu the pilot to the military helicopter that crashed killing General Ogolla and members of his crew, has revealed that he was a visionary soldier and had aspired to rise to the top job in the military.

Major Magondu’s dreams could not come to fruition as he was among the crew members that perished in the helicopter crash in Chesegon Elgeyo-Marakwet.

Born in 1993, Major Magondu excelled in his academics and was admitted at Moi Forces Academy where he scored a straight A in his KCSE.

Magondu’s mother a journalist with Standard Media for 25years said that his boy was excited about planes from a very young age.

“When he was young and a plane flew over our house, he would tell us the type of aircraft it was,” she said.

Major Magondu joined the Kenya Defence Forces as a cadet. He pursued a three-year course that incorporated a degree in Military Science and a flying program. He later enrolled in an aviation school in South Africa.

He was deployed at Laikipia Air Base for his first assignment before he was transferred to Moi Air Base in Nairobi.

Major Magondu was General Ogolla’s official pilot and was charged with the responsibility of flying senior government officials including Defence CS Aden Duale and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Despite his young age Major Magondu had scaled the heights of his military career having being promoted from the rank of a second lieutenant to that of a major.