On Sunday, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua posted on her X platform a photo of her and the late Captain George Were posing outside a helicopter branded with campaign messages ahead of the 2022 General Election.
At the time, Ms Karua was the running mate of Raila Odinga, who was vying for the presidency on an Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance. Captain Were had been assigned the helicopter that flew Ms Karua to different parts of the country in search of votes.
“One of the six who perished in yesterday’s helicopter crash, in Nandi County, was known to me. The pilot, Mr George Were, was a good man with a warm demeanour. I am thinking of all six families, may they find strength during this incredibly difficult time,” Ms Karua mourned the fallen pilot.
In his rural village, when Margaret Akinyi first heard reports of a helicopter crash on Saturday, she had distant curiosity.
“When the news bar flashed with breaking news, I was very disturbed. I just wanted to know who was involved. Even if it wasn’t someone I knew, six people perishing in a chopper is a traumatising ordeal,” she said.
Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen condoles with Emily Omondi Were, widow of the late Col (Rtd) Captain George Were, the pilot who tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash at Chepkiep Village, Mosop Sub-County, Nandi County on February 28, 2026. Six people died on the spot in the crash, including Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Kipyegon Ngeno. Picture taken at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation
Determined to rely only on verified reports, she waited for confirmation from a national television station rather than turning to social media.
“I’m not someone who depends on information from social media because most of it is misleading. When the news anchor mentioned George Were as one of the casualties, I was on the verge of breaking my television. I didn’t expect such news. After that, I switched it off. I haven’t turned it on again,” she said, fighting back tears.
In his village of Durubi in Nyakach Sub-county, Kisumu County, grief has settled heavily over the homestead where relatives and friends continue to gather to mourn and condole with the family.
Jane Odero, his stepmother, described the late pilot as the pillar of the family.
“Speaking about my son as if he is gone feels like a dream. George knew my situation and how I was surviving back in the village. He would call and say, ‘Mother, you don’t need to worry about money at your age. Just call me anytime.’ But now, who will I even call?” she posed.
The family is still awaiting burial arrangements, even as anguish deepens over the circumstances of his death.
“I don’t even know in what condition my son’s remains are. I can’t imagine the pain he went through. He died a terrifying death,” she added.
Villagers remember Captain Were as soft-spoken and generous, a man whose kindness travelled far beyond the runway.
“Everyone knew when George was around. He would call villagers to his home and share meals with them. His gate was always open whenever he was in the village,” said John Okello, a resident.
Dr Francis Were (left), brother of the late Col (Rtd) Capt. George Were Nandi County Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Others described him as disciplined, humble and deeply committed to both his profession and his family.
“We used to call him ‘Otenga’ (an eagle in Dholuo) because he was a pilot. He was humble and soft-spoken, and he was always there for anyone who needed help,” said Joan Atieno.
With other family members still in Nairobi, Ms Odero and Ms Akinyi have shouldered the painful responsibility of receiving mourners at the Nyakach home.
“We are emotionally drained. The only comfort we get is from the mourners who stream in every hour because he was truly a man of the people,” Ms Akinyi said.
On Sunday, family members revealed that the late pilot had been preparing to retire later this year after decades of service. Dr Francis Were disclosed that his younger brother was due to retire in September upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 65.
“This is something we least expected because in his career as a pilot, he had never been involved in an air accident. This is the first one, and the last, and the most devastating,” Dr Were said.
He described his brother as the family’s ‘elder sibling’ and a peaceful man who related well with everyone. According to Dr Were, the late pilot leaves behind a widow and two children, both in college.
The tragedy struck as the brothers were planning to meet over the weekend for a long-overdue family catch-up, a reunion that will never be.
Hesbon Omondi, a cousin of the late pilot, said Captain Were joined the military in 1983 and steadily rose through the ranks, building a distinguished aviation career.
“He had been flying since he joined the military. He was a very experienced pilot. George had more than 4,000 flying hours. He flew as a fighter pilot and was highly experienced,” Mr Omondi said.
For Durubi residents, he was more than a decorated aviator. He was their son, their brother, their benefactor - The ‘Otenga’ who soared high above the clouds, and whose sudden fall has left a silence too vast for words.
