A plane carrying members of Kenya’s new government crashed in western Kenya on Friday, killing one minister, the two pilots and injuring at least three other ministers, a government minister and a private television network said.
The 24-seat Gulfstream aircraft crashed shortly after it took off from Busia airport after it hit power lines, said Trade Minister Mukhisa Kituyi. Kenya Television Network reported that Labour Minister Ahmad Mohamed Khalif was killed in the accident.
Isaiah Kabira, head of the president’s press service, said
Khalif could be dead, but it was not year clear. He said the plane was carrying 10 people when it crashed shortly after 6pm.
Kabira said he had no further details. Other government officials on the plane included the water resources minister, the minister of state in the office of the vice
president, the information and tourism minister and the assistant justice minister, Kituyi said.
The plane was taking the passengers from Busia to the Lake
Victoria port of Kisumu where the government officials were to attend the commemoration of the death of one of the East African nation’s leading opposition figures nine years ago.
There were no other details about casualties immediately
available.
Three ministers, including Kituyi, the home affairs minister and the attorney general, got off the plane — which began its flight in Nairobi — at Busia, Kituyi said.
A new government, led by President Mwai Kibaki, took office
after winning historic December 27 elections that ended the 39-year rule of the Kenya Africa National Union party or Kanu.
Kanu had ruled Kenya since independence from Britain in 1963. Kibaki, who took over from former President Daniel arap Moi, is currently in Nairobi Hospital, recovering from ankle and arm injuries sustained in December 3 car crash. He was readmitted to hospital last week suffering from a blood clot and slightly high blood pressure. He is expected to leave hospital next week.
Military helicopters were sent to the crash scene to bring the injured back to Nairobi, Kabira said. ‒ Sapa-AP