Inside the 2003 Crash That Nearly Claimed Martha Karua’s Life

In 2003, Senior Counsel Martha Karua narrowly survived a tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of senior officials and pilots, marking one of the most dramatic incidents in Kenya’s political history.

The group of politicians had travelled from Wilson Airport to Busia for a homecoming event in honour of then Assistant Minister Moody Awori, who had recently been appointed to government.

On the return journey, they boarded a small aircraft from Busia Airstrip. Among those on board were Raphael Tuju, Ahmed Mohamed Khalif, and current Chief Justice Martha Koome.

Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft reportedly failed to gain sufficient altitude, struck a power line, and crashed into a nearby house.

The crash claimed the lives of Labour Minister Ahmed Mohamed Khalif and the two pilots, while others on board survived with injuries. Martha Karua was rescued from the wreckage by locals who rushed her for emergency treatment before she was later transferred to Nairobi for specialized care.

In the immediate aftermath, confusion at the scene led to conflicting reports, with some initially fearing additional fatalities due to the severity of the accident.

Both Martha Karua and Martha Koome survived the crash—an extraordinary outcome that later became a defining moment in their public lives, as both went on to hold some of the highest offices in Kenya’s legal and political systems.

Disclaimer: Accounts of the 2003 Busia plane crash vary slightly across historical reports, particularly regarding passenger lists and technical details of the aircraft.