Forty-Two Years On, Nation Remembers Mysterious Crash That Claimed Top Military Brass
NAKASONGOLA, December 3, 2025 – As Uganda marked the 42nd anniversary of one of its most devastating and enigmatic military disasters, a poignant family connection has brought renewed focus to the tragedy that claimed the lives of senior army officers, including the Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. David Oyite Ojok.
On December 2, 1983, an Italian-made Agusta Bell AB 412 Griffon helicopter burst into flames and crashed near Kasozi, Nakasongola, minutes after takeoff. The incident killed all nine people on board, blowing bodies to pieces and burning them beyond recognition. The exact cause remains an unresolved national mystery, with theories ranging from mechanical failure to sabotage.
Among the victims were two close friends and pilots in the same cockpit: Colonel Alfred Otto, the Director of the Air Force and pilot, and Captain Harry Olwoch, the co-pilot and Entebbe Airbase Commander. In a twist of fate, their children later married, uniting the two families through a bond forged in shared loss.
“The tragic helicopter crash finished you before you finished your race,” wrote a family member, who is both son to Captain Olwoch and son-in-law to Colonel Otto, in a moving tribute. “You both died together on the same day, flying the same aircraft. But years later, divine destiny brought two of your children together in holy matrimony.”
The other senior officers who perished were Maj. Stephen Abili, the army chief of engineering and logistics; Lt. Col. Wilson Okwonga, Medical Superintendent at Mbuya Military Hospital; Captain Charles Kamara; Lt. Kato Kiragga, the acting Director of Military Intelligence; and two others. Lt. Kiragga was the only victim partially recognizable, as the helicopter tilted away from his seat.
Eyewitness accounts from the time reported strange engine noises shortly after the 8:15 PM liftoff, followed by a sudden nose-dive and a fiery explosion on impact. The news sent shockwaves through the nation and the army command.
The morning after the crash, a relative of one victim recounted receiving a devastating phone call from General Tito Okello Lutwa, who relayed the grim news in Luo, listing the names of the fallen and warning, “Keep your ear open before you go out.”
Four decades later, the crash continues to shape Uganda’s political and military memory. No conclusive investigation result has ever been made public, leaving unanswered questions that fuel ongoing speculation. For the families of the victims, the anniversary is a day of somber remembrance, honoring fathers, leaders, and friends whose lives were tragically cut short.
Rest in peace: Maj. Gen. David Oyite Ojok, Col. Alfred Otto, Capt. Harry Olwoch, Maj. Stephen Abili, Lt. Col. Wilson Okwonga, Capt. Charles Kamara, Lt. Kato Kiragga, and the two other officers.
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