Emotions ran high as family members, friends, aviation colleagues and residents gathered in Busia County to give Captain Alex Oluka a final farewell, weeks after a plane crash in Kajiado cut short his promising career.
The young pilot was laid to rest on Friday, October 9, 2026, at his family home in Aleles Village, Teso North, where mourners delivered emotional speeches remembering a man whose ambitions extended beyond aviation to improving the lives of his parents and younger siblings.
Relatives struggled to contain their grief as they came to terms with his death, with some breaking down during the burial ceremony as speakers recounted his determination, his achievements and the hopes his family had attached to his newly established career.
Oluka’s final journey had begun a day earlier, on Thursday, October 8, when his body was airlifted from Nairobi to Matulo Airstrip in Webuye, before being transported by road towards his rural home in Busia County. Mourners gathered to receive his remains, with crowds lining sections of the route as the convoy made its way to Teso.
During the burial, speakers reflected on Oluka’s life, his dedication to his education and the promise he represented to his family and the wider community.
His death was particularly painful because he had only recently begun turning years of hard work into a career. Having graduated from the Kenya School of Flying in August, he had secured an opportunity to work as a flight instructor, putting him on a path that his family hoped would transform their circumstances.
The speeches also recalled his commitment to his younger siblings and his plans to help his parents secure a better life. His father, Leonard Otolim, had previously said that Oluka promised to support the education of his younger twin siblings, who were in Grades Seven and Eight.
His mother, Everlyn Inait, had also spoken about the sacrifices she made to educate him, including working on other people’s farms to raise money for his school fees. She recalled speaking to him on the Thursday before the fatal crash, making the news of his death the following day especially difficult to comprehend.
Oluka was buried in a cemented grave, marking his final resting place after a period in which Kenyans and members of his community had rallied around his family.
Oluka’s dream of building his parents a home
One of the most poignant developments before the burial was the completion of a new home for Oluka’s parents, a project that brought together well-wishers from across the country.
Teso North MP Oku Kaunya announced on Thursday, October 8, that the family had been handed a new house constructed in 14 days through contributions of money, building materials and labour.
The development fulfilled, at least in part, a dream Oluka had carried for his parents but did not live long enough to accomplish himself.
“Alex had a dream of building a home for his parents. Though he did not live to fulfil this dream, we are grateful that partially it has now become a reality through the generosity of well-wishers,” Kaunya said.
The Kenya School of Flying also contributed Ksh300,000 towards the construction on September 24, while the institution presented a framed tribute in honour of its former student and instructor.
Before his death, Oluka had begun preparing to build a better home for his parents and had sent iron sheets to his family as he worked towards the goal. The new house therefore represented more than a construction project: it was a tangible reminder of the plans he had made for those closest to him.
As mourners gathered to bury him, the support extended to his family stood as evidence of how his story had moved people far beyond his immediate circle.
