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By AFP Published on: March 24, 2026 06:34 (EAT)

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A Colombian military plane carrying 125 soldiers and crew members crashed on takeoff early Monday, killing at least 66 people and injuring dozens of others, officials said.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft went down shortly after departure from Puerto Leguizamo, near the southern border with Ecuador and Peru, strewing burning wreckage on the jungle floor.

A military source told AFP that 58 soldiers had died, along with six air force personnel and two police officers.

The updated toll came shortly after the local government secretary Carlos Claros told RCN television that 33 people had died, and that efforts were being made to treat and evacuate dozens of others injured.

He added that investigators were probing the cause of the crash.

The border area where the plane went down has been the scene of heavy military activity in recent weeks, as the Colombian and Ecuadoran militaries try to tackle drug-running cartels and militias.

AFP images from the scene showed civilians clambering around the broken tail of the aircraft, marked FAC 1016, as smoke and flames billowed above the trees.

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his “deep sorrow” over the disaster, saying it was too early to determine the cause of the crash.

“It is a deeply painful event for the country. May our prayers bring some measure of comfort,” Sanchez said.

General Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda said that 114 troops were aboard and 11 crew members, travelling from Puerto Leguizamo to an Amazon outpost nearby.

“The airport is small and there are several difficulties” hindering the evacuation of bodies and the injured, Jhon Gabriel Molina, governor of the Putamayo region, said in a Facebook video.

– ‘Horrific accident’ –

Locals in the area recounted hearing a loud bang.

“I felt an explosion in the air and, when I looked up, the plane was flying close to the house on my plot,” said Noe Mota, a farmer.

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro shared footage showing the aircraft attempting to gain altitude before plummeting down.

He described the crash on X as a “horrific accident” and emphasized a need to modernize Colombia’s military hardware, though he did not specifically link the crash to the plane’s condition.

The crash is the second by a C-130 Hercules, a four-engine turboprop built by Lockheed Martin, in South America in under a month.

A Bolivian military cargo plane carrying banknotes crashed while landing near La Paz on February 27, leaving at least 24 people dead.

Renowned for its ability to operate from makeshift airstrips, it is widely used by militaries around the world.

Lobby: Policy failure, not adverse weather, fuelling hunger

Right to Food Coalition demands a food system that serves the people, not the markets.

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Kenya is reeling from a brutal climatic paradox. Barely months after a failed short rains season left over 3.7 million facing acute hunger, torrential floods have now submerged villages, sweeping away livestock, homes and the hope of agricultural recovery. 

This climate whiplash has pushed the country to the brink of a severe food security crisis, with civil society groups arguing that it is less a natural disaster and more a failure of governance.

The Right to Food Coalition, a group of civil society organisations, smallholder producers, and human rights defenders, says the constitutional promise of freedom from hunger is being systematically broken.

“The current famine is not merely a natural disaster. It is a policy failure. Regrettably, it is a violation of human rights,” the coalition said in a statement.

According to the 2025 Global Hunger Index, Kenya now ranks 103 out of 123 countries, with a score of 25.9 that denotes a ‘serious’ level of hunger.

The report placed Kenya among the world’s hungriest countries, saying progress on food security has stalled since 2016.

The situation is dire in Mandera, Wajir and Kilifi counties, which are already in the ‘alarm’ phase of drought.

These arid lands are now facing another catastrophe as flash floods submerge irrigation schemes in areas like Baringo and Homa Bay.

The coalition says Kenya remains perilously dependent on imported staples, spending an estimated Sh500 billion annually on food imports such as wheat and rice— money that could be used to revolutionise local production. 

Despite binding commitments like the Malabo and Kampala CAADP Declarations, which recommend allocating 10 per cent of the national budget to agriculture, the sector received just 3.2 per cent in the 2025/2026 financial year. 

“High fuel costs and non-tariff barriers have made food a luxury, while the distribution of adulterated fertilisers in recent seasons has eroded the trust and productivity of our local farmers,” the coalition noted.

It said neglected irrigation systems and a lack of dams mean that when heavy rains come, they destroy rather than nourish. 

“When it rains, we lose crops and livestock to floods; when it doesn’t, we lose them to extreme dehydration and hunger. The lack of investment in dams and other water storage infrastructure, proper canal maintenance and post-harvest storage means that even in ‘good’ years, nearly 30 to 40 per cent of our produce rots before it reaches the plate.”

The coalition wants the government to move beyond reactive handouts and enact the National Disaster Risk Management Bill and a binding Right to Food Act. 

This legislation would transform constitutional promises into enforceable legal obligations, the coalition said. 

“The time for observations and reports has passed. Hunger is a political choice to violate human rights. We demand a food system that serves the people, not the markets,” the coalition said.

Flood alert: River Nyando overflows, cuts off Ahero Bridge route

Government says the river has burst its banks, with water levels continuing to rise

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The government has issued an urgent alert after River Nyando overflowed at Ahero Bridge along the Kericho–Awasi–Kisumu Road, creating hazardous conditions for motorists and other road users.

Speaking on behalf of the Multi-Agency Emergency Response Secretariat, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said the river has burst its banks, with water levels continuing to rise.

He said the advisory is particularly critical at night, when it may be difficult to gauge the strength and depth of the water.

“All motorists and road users along this route are advised to use alternative routes. Traffic to and from Kisumu should divert at Timboroa through Lesos to Kapsabet–Chavakali–Kisumu until the situation stabilises. Exercise extra caution, especially during the hours of darkness, as the depth and strength of the flowing water may not be easily visible.”

The government confirmed that it is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as necessary.

The government spokesman urged road users to comply fully with the directive and prioritise safety.

At least 81 people have died, and thousands have been displaced as devastating floods continue to wreak havoc across Kenya, with 21 counties now affected, according to the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.

Data released on March 22 showed that seven people remain missing while 68,975 homes have been displaced amid ongoing heavy rains pounding several parts of the country.

Counties hardest hit include Nairobi, Kisumu, Narok, Kiambu, Migori, Siaya, Makueni, Busia, Wajir, Kisii, Homa Bay, Taita Taveta, Baringo, Kajiado, Kitui, Kwale, Machakos, Kericho, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, and West Pokot.

The floods have severely disrupted essential services, with roads and bridges rendered impassable, power outages reported in several regions, and water supply systems damaged.

Schools have also been affected, compounding the humanitarian crisis.

Authorities said key infrastructure has suffered significant damage, including widespread flooding of residential areas, destruction of farms, and inundation of markets and businesses, raising concerns over food security and livelihoods.

Regional data indicated that Nairobi has recorded the highest number of fatalities at 37, followed by the Eastern region with 21 deaths and the Rift Valley with 8.

The Nyanza region has reported seven deaths, while the Coast region has recorded five. The central region has three fatalities, with no deaths reported so far in the Western region.

The government, alongside agencies such as the Kenya Red Cross Society and National Disaster Operations Centre, is coordinating response efforts, including rescue operations, humanitarian aid distribution, and infrastructure restoration.

The Kenya Meteorological Department warned that the country should brace for continued heavy rainfall, flash floods, and storm hazards during the early part of the long rains season.

Mother surrenders to police after killing son in lodging

The motive of the incident is yet to be known

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A woman has surrendered to the police after killing her 11-year-old son in a shocking incident at a lodging in Mumbuni, Makueni county.

Police said the woman spared her two other children aged six and three in the incident that happened on March 22.

The motive of the murder was not immediately known.

Police said the woman had on March 21 night checked into a lodging accompanied by her three children.

The following day, she reportedly walked out to buy toothpaste in a nearby shop. After she delayed, the manager of the facility told police she went into the room to inquire and found it unlocked.

Inside she found two children sitting on the bed while the third one was unconscious.

Police were called and confirmed the deceased was a Grade 4 pupil at Miau Primary School. His body lay on the bed. It had visible marks on the neck believed to have been out of strangulation.

The police said the other two boys were fine and seated next to the body when the caretaker arrived.

They seemed unaware their brother was dead, police said.

The body was moved to the mortuary pending postmortem as the family of the children was contacted to take their custody pending investigations

The woman later surrendered to Machakos police station several kilometers away from where she committed the crime.

She was detained pending transfer to Makueni for processing and possible arraignment.

Police said they are investigating the incident.

A team set up to pursue the matter wants to establish what motivated the woman’s actions.

The woman will be taken for among others, psychiatric tests as part of the probe into the murder, police said.

In Kipkaren, Nandi county, one Bethwel Kiptanii, 26, was found dead with a wound on his left side of the neck.

The motive of the attack was not immediately known, police said as they moved the body to the mortuary pending other procedures.

Murder cases have been on the rise amid efforts to solve them.

Most of the cases are linked to love triangle, land disputes and deals gone bad, police investigations show.

Police say there are efforts to solve the incidents.

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