Details have emerged on the four Americans who perished in the Turkana chopper crash. According to the most recent revelations, the four were veteran political consultants alleged to have been flown to Kenya to begin setting up Deputy President William Ruto’s 2022 presidential campaign.
The four, alongside pilot Mario Magonga who frequently flew the DP, died near Lobolo in Central Island National Park, Turkana, at dusk, on March 3.
Sources within the police on Monday told a local daily that the American strategists had begun laying out an elaborate campaign game plan for Ruto.
The strategy mirrors President Uhuru Kenyatta’s robust State House drives in 2013 and 2017 that were steered by foreign firms and individuals.
The revelations were the clearest signal that Ruto plans to stop at nothing or let anything get in his way – and he’s willing to spend the top dollar – to succeed Uhuru despite aggressive schemes by his opponents to scuttle his bid.
Uhuru has frequently and without success tried to dissuade his DP and his allies to go slow on early 2022 campaigns and focus instead on development.
These pleas appear to have fallen on deaf of unreceptive ears as Ruto continues with his campaign express across the country.
“We have so far established that some of the victims of the crash were working for the DP. However, the circumstances under which the chopper crashed are under investigations,” a senior officer familiar with the probe was quoted by a local daily.
The four US nationals were Kyle John Forti, Anders Jesiah Burke, Brandon Hower Stapper and David Mark Baker.
Forti is described as one of Colorado’s premier Republican campaign managers and strategists.
In a clear demonstration of his political influence in the US, the Colorado Senate observed a moment of silence for his death, with some describing him as a “prolific figure in Colorado Republican politics”.
Forti had worked as a political consultant for high-profile US politicians, and was the founder and partner in the consulting firm known as D/CO that specialises in, among other things, the creation of “emotionally engaging content”.
“D/CO helps clients leverage influence and direct conversation in the corporate and political space. We’ve worked with Fortune 100 companies, US Senators, nonprofits, and international public relations firms to influence public opinion through targeted data-driven communications, coalition development, and the creation of emotionally engaging content,” part of Forti’s profile on Linkedin states.