Kenya Insights

Tag: Kenyan Military

  • Helicopter That Killed General Ogolla

    Helicopter That Killed General Ogolla

    The military helicopter which claimed the lives of Kenya’s military Chief Francis Ogolla alongside nine others was one of the six Bell Huey II aircraft donated by the United States to Kenya in November 2016.

    The aircraft burst into flames shortly after taking off in Elgeyo Marakwet’s Keben area on Thursday, killing 10 of the 12 occupants on board.

    The Bell Huey II helicopters valued at $106 million (Sh14.16 billion) were handed over to the Kenya Air Force by the then American Ambassador to Kenya, Robert Godec, as part of the arsenal to bolster the fight against terrorism.

    The Bell Huey II is an upgraded version of Bell UH-1H medium-lift helicopter and is among the fleet of aircrafts operated by the Kenya Air Force.

    Apart from Kenya, the Bell Huey II is operated by the US Air Force, the Colombian Air Force,  the Philippine Air Force, the Yemeni Air Force, and the Ugandan military.

    Here are some key facts about the aircraft:

    The aircraft is manufactured by Bell Textron Aerospace company, a subsidiary of Textron and is headquartered at, Fort Worth, Texas, United States.

    According to Bell, the Bell Huey II can accommodate up to 14 passengers in its cabin which the manufacturer says is also designed to accommodate mechanical and electrical provisions for mission-critical communications and life-saving devices.

    The aerospace manufacturer further adds that the Bell Huey II has a 5,000 lbs / 2,268 kg cargo lifting capacity.

    The aircraft also features sliding doors, which the company says support in-flight operations with “strength and speed.”

    “Increased engine power of 1,800 shp / 1,342 kW drives your mission forward fast, while the wide windscreen offers excellent visibility, “Bell says on its website.

    According to Bell, the Bell Huey Huey II is designed for deployment on versatile missions.

    With multiple crew positions, litter configurations, and avionics accommodations, Bell further indicates that the Bell Huey II is versatile enough for tasks as diverse as troop insertion, search and rescue, and the delivery of first responders.

  • What It Takes To Join KDF And Why The Kenyan Military Don’t Recruit Short People And Those With Tattoos

    What It Takes To Join KDF And Why The Kenyan Military Don’t Recruit Short People And Those With Tattoos

    Vice Chief of Defence Forces Lieutenant General Jonah Mwangi has disclosed why short people are not recruited into the military as height is an important element during the hiring process.

    “Short are great people, but there are criteria that are set. For you as a woman to join you have to be 5 ft and above, and for a man you have to be 5ft 3in. The reason is that if you come in shorter than 5ft, there is a possibility you might not attain the required weight. If have more weight than what you ought to have, through training, you might shrink.,” he said.

    He said for someone to be allowed to join the disciplined forces, a woman should be 5 feet and above while a man should be five feet and three inches and above.

    “The danger is that the weapons that we use are 4ft. You can imagine standing on parade, you are going to fight, and the weapons are roller than you,” he added.

    https://x.com/citizentvkenya/status/1691908151702860021?s=46&t=KazQmrLjpJYvkoNP81WxiA

    On why KDF don’t allow potential recruits wuth discolored teeth he said, “We realized that there are areas in this country where you have water that has fluoride content and therefore you will have people that have low to medium teeth discolouration. If you have severe discolouration, it’s an indication that you probably have a problem with the bone structure and you are prone to accidents. If you get into a dental accident, that will force us to out in you in hospital instead of training. It’s a disadvantage to you.”

    No Tattoos

    “Character counts in recruitment in the sense that if you are not a person of character, if you have criminal records, then that is a no-go. Character is one thing that the defence forces or a security person cannot afford not to have. Recruitment policy says that you are not supposed to join with a tattoo. You are not going to be recruited if you are wearing a tattoo.” Said the Lt Gen Jonah Mwangi.

    As for educational requirements, “If you are joining as a cadet, you need to have B+ average grade and in Math, you need to have a C+ and above, that also goes to English and one science subject. For a general service recruit, you need to have a D. If you are coming as a general artisan, you need a D+ and above. If you have a degree, you enter as a cadet and at the commissioning, you are commissioned as a second lieutenant.” He said.

    As to what the general requirements they’re looking for during recruitment, Lt Gen Jonah Mwangi says, “In a recruit, we look for 3 things: you’ve got to have the correct physical standards, medically you need to be fit and you’ve got to have the right papers. For you to join the KDF, you have got to believe in it. If you have to pave your way into it, then definitely you’ll be of no use.”