One of the two pilots who died in a plane crash in Kipeto, Kajiado County, last month, Alex Oluka, has been laid to rest at his home in Kolait Village, Moding, Teso North Constituency, Busia County.
Oluka, aged 25, was buried on Friday in a sombre ceremony attended by hundreds of mourners, including family members, friends, aviation colleagues and political leaders who gathered to pay their last respects.
His body was flown from Nairobi to Matulo Airstrip in Webuye on the afternoon of October 8, 2026, ahead of his final journey to his rural home in Busia County.
Oluka died on September 18, 2026, when the aircraft he was operating crashed in the Kipeto area of Kajiado County. He was serving as a flight instructor, training a student pilot who also perished in the accident.
His death came just 27 days after he graduated from the Kenya School of Flying on August 22, 2026, marking a tragic end to a promising aviation career.
The young pilot's death has left his family and the wider Teso community mourning the loss of a young professional whose career in aviation had only just begun.
During the burial ceremony, family members led by his parents, Leonard Odong’ir and Everline Knight, were joined by leaders from Busia County to honour his life and offer condolences to the bereaved family.
Among the leaders present were Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera and Presidential Administration Secretary Arthur Osiya.
The leaders described Oluka’s death as a significant loss not only to his family but also to the wider Teso community and Busia County.
His death has also drawn attention to the risks associated with aviation training, where student pilots and instructors undertake practical flying exercises as they build the skills required for professional careers.
For his family, friends and colleagues, Oluka's burial marked a painful farewell to a young man whose aspirations in aviation were cut short barely four weeks after completing his flying course.
As hundreds of mourners gathered in Kolait Village to bid him goodbye, the community reflected on the loss of a promising life and the grief left behind by the fatal crash.
