Kirinyaga family recalls last moments with senior sergeant Kinyua before fatal chopper crash
What you need to know:
- The family said they talked to Kinyua on phone Thursday and planned for a family, meeting which was scheduled to take place on Saturday.
- That was the last communication the family had with Kinyua.
A Kirinyaga family has been thrown into mourning following the death of their kin who perished when a military helicopter crashed on Thursday afternoon.
The family is trying to come to terms with the loss of their loved one, John Kinyua, 38, who was a senior sergeant attached to the Kenya Defence Forces ( KDF).
He was among ten soldiers including the Chief Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla who were involved in the helicopter accident which sent shockwaves across the country.
Already the family of the fallen soldier has started burial preparations.
"We learnt of the death of Kinyua with great shock," one of the family members said.
The family narrated that prior to the fatal accident, the Kinyua was at home at Kiamwenja in Kirinyaga Central Constituency.
"Kinyua was with us on Monday. We have a poultry-keeping project and we spent part of the day with him.
"Moments later he picked up his daughter who had come to visit her grandparents and left for his place of work," another family member said.
The family said they talked to Kinyua on phone Thursday and planned for a family, meeting which was scheduled to take place on Saturday.
That was the last communication the family had with Kinyua.
Later in the day, they were shocked to hear that the helicopter he was flying in had crashed.
Ms Beatrice Wangechi, a cousin, narrated how she escorted Muriithi to Kerugoya Stadium for a military interview in 2007 to try his luck.
During the recruitment exercise, Kinyua was recruited and went to college for military training.
"When Kinyua was recruited, he hugged me in joy and we returned home together," said Ms Wangechi.
The family described Kinyua as a hardworking officer whose death surprised them greatly.
The deceased's father Josphat Muriithi lamented that he had lost a dedicated and generous son.
"My son was so good to me, he used to help me educate his siblings and I was a happy man," he said.
"I had talked to Kinyua on Monday and we planned how the family land can be subdivided so that everyone can get their portion. Sadly, he had gone before we implemented our plan."
Mr Muriithi said the fallen soldier was married.
He appealed to the government to help him give his son a decent burial.
