Nairobi, April 19 -- General Francis Omondi Ogolla has become the first chief of defence forces in post-independence Kenya to die in office, following a helicopter crash that claimed the lives of nine other Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel.

President William Ruto made an official announcement of the deaths on Thursday evening, also announcing that the country would observe three days of mourning in honour of the fallen KDF personnel before retreating behind the walls of State House.

While President Ruto remained silent on the way forward, the Defence Council could have already met and made its decision on who will take over from General Ogolla.

According to Section 23 of the Kenya Defence Forces Act, the Chief of Defence Forces is ...