E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSNAIROBI, Kenya -- Kenya's former Vice President George Saitoti, who was serving as the country's security minister and was a presidential candidate in an upcoming election, was killed Sunday when a police helicopter crashed into a forest outside the capital, the government said.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga's spokesman said Odinga had been informed of the deaths of Saitoti and his deputy, Orwa Ojode.
A former long-serving vice president under the former President Daniel Arap Moi, Saitoti was also a presidential candidate in an election expected to be held by March next year.
A Reuters photographer counted three charred bodies at the scene of the crash in a forest in the Ngong area just outside of Nairobi.
Debris of the burned-out blue police helicopter were strewn in the brush where government officials and curious locals jostled to catch a glimpse.
It was not immediately clear what caused the crash.
According to messages posted on Kenya's Capital FM radio Twitter account, two bodyguards were also onboard and feared dead. They were accompanying Saitoti and Ojode to a church service, the station said.
Additionally, two pilots were onboard and feared dead, Capital FM reported, which would bring the death toll to six if confirmed.
Saitoti, an ally of President Mwai Kibaki, was the leading government voice against Somali militants al-Shabab, often visiting the scenes of grenade attacks inside Kenya and vowing the east African nation would crush the group.
Kenya's troops have been fighting al-Shabab in neighboring Somalia since last October. The militants have killed several people in a string of grenade attacks in Nairobi, the far north and the coast in retaliation to Kenya's moves against them.
Reuters contributed to this report.
More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Spain to seek bailout; up to $125 billion on table
- Second solo Pacific rower rescued after 50-ft waves batter boat
- UN: Smell of death at scene of massacre in Syrian village
- Women brave attack to protest Egypt harassment
- In court, Italian showgirl reveals code name for Berlusconi
- Soccer, cable TV at Gitmo? US lockup in Cuba quietly being upgraded
- Did Canada's alleged cannibal killer Luka Magnotta strike in LA?
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Leave a Comment:
Hmmm... this sounds like a pelican brief or some conspiracy. Like some unknown gov agency somewhere decided they wanted this guy and his collaborator out of the picture, doesnt it? So cliche, yet you hear of these types of crashes with political passengers all the time.
He finally got that money out of the Nigerian bank.
Oh nooooooo!!!! This means a whole new flood of emails offering trunks full of cash and jewels. Those things never seem to work out for me.
Obama used his Acorn tactics to help Odinga (who he referred to in documented email as "brother") overturn an election- they claimed voter fraud. Google Obama Odinga- you can't make this stuff up.
Yes you can make stuff up, Odinga claimed to be cousins with President Obama, because the Presidents father came from the same community as Odinga's mother but they are not blood relatives per Obama's paternal Uncle. Acorn nor the President ever overturned any election, only in your dreams.
I'm not going to bomb blast your butts on your choices, but I will tell you what and where you will be 40 years from now. You'll still be sitting in the same bar, on the same barstool, pissing about the same old crap, only it will be a different POTUS. The subject of complaining will be different but you can only repeat the same old words because they fit every topic. PATHETIC!!!
Yeah and I heard those weapons of mass destruction Bush and his cronies were "looking" for wasn't in some foreign country. All along they were hiding in the back of a Toys R' Us with all the other Nerf Super Soaker water guns.
How gullible can you people get?! Rhetorical. -_-.
Good riddance. One less Obama relative in the world.
Jak...they are not related!
Why is this story news worthy to America? I wonder if he was the good guy or the bad guy? These are Obamas people so he might be interested in the story.
so if it's not news worthy, they why make a comment? especially such and idiotic one? Oh yeah, cause republicans just like to see themselves post and hear themselves talk. Did you know that the reason you are a republican is because your brain processes most information in the emotional sector rather then the logical sector? you should read the Harvard study on this. I promise you will feel very insulted. LMAO@U
Typical backwoods uneducated comment.
I saw the headline of a Kenyan and the VP killed and mistakenly thought they were talking about Obama and Biden.
Very sad day on the vine seeing posters attacking each other like rabid dogs above ^-^
I'm sure we will soon see a leak from the White House on this breaking story! The leak will blame the Israeli's and make Obama look good!
PSP620489 Kenyan!!! MoooSLem!!!!! Gay MArrridge at Groundt ZERO -I so enjoy an intellectual conversation with a Real RIght WInger. Jebediah RIGHTS!!! BIRF CERTIFICATE LONG FORM!!!!! FAST and SERIOUS!!!!!!
@Rockyroad,
I am always surprised when a liar's pants don't actually catch fire.
I thought this story was about Joe Biden, the Kenyan's VP.
I guess the logical side of the brain belives that giving money to people that dont work for political gain is a great idea. Pretty logical I guess. Keeping people submisive to the government as is also logical. Insiting that people that struggle for education and work hard to buy health care for the ones that sit in government housing and do not even cut the grass outside, seems pretty logical. I wonder where increasing the national debt comes from though since the retards and libtards both do that for personal and political gain.
uhtred
The story will be leaked if they tell some repug.
Well, Odinga is Obama's cousin, and when he lost the election, Obama went over to campaign for him on the platform of "change". 1500 people were killed in the coup. Just google "obama odinga". Hmmmmm
Obama backed Raila Odinga to he hilt in last elections. Luo,Luo whereas George Saitoti was previous VP and running for President of Kenya, a kenyan-not the tribalist. Also killed in the helicopter crash was Orwa Ojode- a terrorism expert. The copter crashed-plummeted down right after take-off. There were two other copter crashes- one in Peru-where 14 killed and 0ne in Ukraine today where 5 killed. Might also be that there are 'fake'parts or 'sham equipment' on the market.
I see we have a real RIght WIng Brain TRuist on this board - Let me offfer this to you alll, "Haycorn,! Haycron! Haycorn!!!!! Kenyan!!! MoooSLem!!!!! Gay MArrridge at Groundt ZERO, Lef WIng Kommie!!!! LIBTARD NAME KALLLER MARXIST!!!!! Jebediah REICH!!! BIRF CERTIFICATE!!!!! FAST and SERIOUS!!!!!!LAZY LIBRAL!!!!!!
Sen. Barack Obama designated a personal aide as his direct contact for the 2007 Kenyan presidential campaign of Raila Odinga, who later was appointed prime minister after his election loss was followed by widespread, deadly violence that destroyed or damaged 800 Christian churches and killed 1500 people.
If this puts Odinga in charge, I would suspect a kill list hit. You can't make this stuff up!
Leave it to an article about a helicopter crash in Africa to bring out all the politically-infused one-trick ponies.
Geez... you can't take a leak without someone pointing the finger at the "sides." It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know the people of our country are as dysfunctional and polarized at the politicians. We'll go far. As long as there's someone else to blame for something, nothing will ever be our fault.
Both sides suck guys... no "one side" could possibly screw things up this bad.
life imitates an old Tom Cruise movie, lol! I understand Borat is playing Barry Obama in Dictator II
Your narcissism has that much control over you?! Pathetic.
Sounds like the Somalia Al-Shabab group of Al Queda used one of the many SA-7 missles (similiar to the US Redeye or Stinger) anti-aircraft weapons that are "missing" from the Libyan excursion that NATO was supposed to clean up.
Agreed, makes more sense than anything else.
I wonder which oil company he refused to play ball with. silly man.
George - Why do you Dems. have to always bring the Reps. into everey article written in the n ews. You guys just can't shut up. Oh yea, i am an independent.
"...two bodyguards were also onboard and feared dead. They were accompanying Saitoti and Ojode to a church service..."
Church service? ha ha "In God We Trust"
Like for airport security LOL. "e pluribus unum" used to be on our American coins. What a nation of idiots we have become!
The nice thing about Athiesm is how classy the people who represent the cause are on online news boards, then they wonder why so many people get turned off to them. Maybe people know you by your fruits.
John Aalborg: "Nation of idiots" indeed. Your failure to put together a coherent thought just reinforces that stereotype.
Hey! They forgot to include the bodyguard's hookers!!!
Poor guys, and with an election coming up a problem for sure for the nation, hope they can figure the cause of the crash. Also that they stay in the fight against the radicals, who are basically just butchers.
Any drones around, he probably knew too much about Barry.
Maybe this Pilot just got done reading a “Sarah Palin” book….became Confused, Irrational and Lost his Mind. It seems to be a “Side Effect”.
You BetCha….Fer Sure.
People that post in bold letters always look angry : ( ^-^ above.
Worn out: I was wondering the same thing.
What was the White House view on this man becoming President of his country? This guy might of been one who believed in telling the truth
Damn - they were a decade too late. Idiots!
does this mean obama is now going to kenya for his uncles funeral?
Do you think he was killed because he was present at Obama's birth? :-)
Two questions:
2. Because Obama was just starting his scamming of America?
To get a discount ....
He's a lawyer, he lies.
No he isn't a qualified lawyer right now, and neither is Moochelle.
WOW! The rightwing nuts are out today. Aren't you guys supposed to be in church right now? So you can call yourselves christens, even if it is for only a few hours a week.
As are you socialist animals. You call yourself American but you hate America. Time to pray to your god Obama is it not
1776
Your comments prove that you have no idea what an American is. I'm a christen by my actions, not by talk like you.
Your a liberal that makes you a liar and a hypocrite. How do you get a liberal angry. Tell the truth
Christian. *shakes head* The liberal at least had a reason for not spelling it correctly.
1sg
ops, sorry õ¿õ
I screwed that up too flnobdy I attributed this
to 1776, it was actually you who said it, so we both "oopsed" ;) have a great day.
1776
You wouldn't know the truth if it came up and took a bite from your ass. In your case, that would be any where on your body.
You should try it for once.
Who are you referring to here? Finish your homework little boy!
steve
That's a good question. Who are you talking to?
Please Kenyans take your socialist animal back. He has brought America nothing but destruction and disgrace. I recomend you do not put him in any kind of leadership position. Like all socialist liberals what ever he touches he destroys
One can only hope the same thing would happen to Obama. That would be some heck of a celebration
wow man, I don't like Obama either but I don't wish his children to not have a father, or his wife to not have her husband, that's just rude.
Yeah, I know Obama is one and done, but that's a over the top.
1776, I'm sure you, like the rest of us are praying that Marine 1, safely returns obama and his family back to Chicago when Romney replaces him in a few months. I know I'm looking forward to this! Will Barry be a neighborhood organizer or try to get his law degree back?
It was Bush's fault. *sarcasm*
I actually came on here to read the "we know where Obama's next job will be" thank you people for not disappointing!
The heart beat of the world goes on and on and on.
It is truly sad that so many have made this into a joke. If this had been a candidate for the US Presidency then the world would be in shock and dismay right now, but since it is an African then it is suddenly the source of mockery. Whether it was an accident or an attack does not change the fact that 6 people were just killed. Kenya has stepped up, despite limited resources and funds, to help fight the Somali terrorists and this man was helping this cause. This is a tragedy not only for Kenyans, but for anyone that would see East Africa finally at peace.
My neighbor "Gus" is with the CIA - I know he is because he says so. Anyway, he told me to keep this secret so don't any of you tell anyone else, okay? Here's what happened. The "company" (aka CIA) hired Gus (my neighbor) to hire two escorts from Miami to fly to Kenya and be on the chopper to play witch doctor with the 2 bodyguards. Still with me? Okay... then, once the chopper got going the two escorts where to set off a bomb and jump from the chopper using the parachutes hidden in their panties. Once on the ground the excorts would be put on a private jet donated by Donald Trump and flown to the Luxor Casino Resort in Las Vegas to be Wayne Newtons special guests at a party for George Clooney. Later today they'll be another MSN Story about a party for George Clooney and that oughta verify everything.
Gus doesn't know if the orders came from higher up or just from his "rabbi" --- Cliff. Cliff poses at our neighborhood yard guy but he's a high level operative. Anyway, now you know the truth but keep it to yourself.
Did they have Obama's birth certificate in their briefcase?
A sad loss for Kenya. He stood up against Islamic terror. Rest in Peace.
Sad Adam that your comment is the first comment I've read given condolences. God knows if it was Americans, this page would be flooded with "sympathy".
I think it's sad that many have rubbished the newsworthiness of this tragic story, so it didn't involve an Americans life,who cares. Smacks a whole lot like misplaced and uninformed arrogance. Lives were lost, not your family or neighbors or Americans, but lives all the same. This story is important to Americans because the now deceased former VP and Presidential candidate was the current Minister for Internal Security. His docket included fighting Al-Shabaab (Al-Qaida wannabes) from gaining a foothold in Kenya and thus ensuring that the they do not get access to the global stage from this corner of the world where they may harm others, including Americans. Secondarily, there are thousands of American businessmen/women, missionaries,aid workers and tourists that reside and visit Kenya annualy,. It was his job to ensure these Americans were safe. This and the fact that militarily and politically Kenya is a major ally of the United States against the war on terror makes this a news worth issue, both having suffered attacks from the same terrorists and all. So yeah in a sense his tragic death is news worthy, even to Americans.
I agree. Even Africa has some good guys. He sounds like one of them.
Muslims do not care for good guys.
It sounds like he was one of the good guys. Came from Obama's tribe too. That is a trip. Sounds like a loss for their country. I wonder if they might have been shot down.
He was not from Obamas fathers tribe, the Luo, he was Maasai.