This archive report was first published on 13 June 2020.
On June 13, 2020, a police chopper crashed in Meru, injuring six police officers. Four of them were airlifted to Nairobi for specialized treatment.
Only one officer, Isaiah Nakoru, the Regional Commissioner for Eastern, was still admitted to the Meru Level Five Hospital, where he was being stabilized before being taken to Nairobi.
The injured officers were received at the Wilson Airport by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi and Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai.
According to Matiangi, the chopper was ferrying the officers to Sololo in Marsabit for a security meeting.
"The officers were en route to Marsabit for a security operation where there is border conflict. The meeting will proceed, bringing together officers from Wajir and Marsabit," he said.
Matiangi vowed that it would be painful in Marsabit, where locals continue to engage in politically instigated violence.
He hinted at a change of strategy in handling the politically-instigated violence in Marsabit, saying, "I am concerned by the number of public officials we have lost because of the conflict around Marsabit area. We are now increasingly convinced that we need to change our doctrine of internal security in that particular part of the country."
It was not the first time government officials on a security mission were involved in an air crash en route to Marsabit. In April 2006, 14 lives were lost while on a peace mission to the area, including five Members of Parliament.
