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Former Military pilot Emmanuel Gedi Logovane
‘Chasing’ is Kenyan parlance for a desperate search for anything: a job, reimbursement, licence, compensation, government contract… nothing ever comes easy-when ‘chasing.’
In the life of a former Nairobi airman – wounded severely while on a special secret military mission – ‘chasing’ has become his new ‘career’.
Emmanuel Gedi Logovane, now physically challenged, has desperately waited for compensation from the government for ten years.
Helicopter crash-landed
Logovane joined the Kenya Armed Forces – now the Kenya Defence Forces – in 1989.
On May 18, 2000, while attached to the 50th Air Cavalry Battalion as a pilot, he got involved in an accident that almost took his life. His Hughes helicopter crash-landed, marking the troubles of the 49-year-old father of three daughters.
He was on a joint mission with some American troops for reconnaissance – military survey of a region – in parts of the Coast.
When the plane approached Moi International Airport in Mombasa after completing the tour, it ‘showed caution’ – military parlance for warning as a result of a problem.
“However, the pilot did not land immediately because the airport was in sight. He decided to proceed, but the engine went off and the plane crashed in Mikindani,” recalls Logovane, who was co-piloting. Logovane, fellow pilot and the crew were seriously injured.
Even after treatment that lasted for about six months, the former airman sustained a permanent unsteady gait due to the severe damage to his spinal cord.
He was fired by the military when doctors declared him medically unfit.
He was paid his gratuity but the compensation for his incapacitation following the accident has never been made. The pilot was informed that his insurance company (name withheld) went into receivership, and the matter was in court.
Remained unconscious
We could not immediately establish whether the case pitting the Department of Defence (DoD) and insurer is ongoing or has ended.
After the crash, Logovane had remained unconscious for four days at a Mombasa hospital, where he had been admitted in the ICU for six weeks.
He was then airlifted to the Forces Memorial Hospital in Nairobi and remained bed-ridden for three months.
There was another problem – he experienced difficulties when passing urine, so doctors advised him to use condom catheters to ease the pain.
According to Logovane, doctors, while trying to reduce the pain, conducted an operation on the bladder only to worsen the condition.
“They pierced me a lot while trying to correct the situation. I was injured in the abdomen, but as a soldier we are trained to endure and persevere,” he says.
He resumed work, but only for light duties, till 2004 when the medical board headed by Colonel K.O Mak’anyengo recommended that Logovane be retired.
The board found out that the soldier “suffered burst fracture of the left vertebra, with fragment displacement on the spinal cord and chest, including contusion of the right middle lobe”.
He further suffered paralysis of the limbs and incontinence – he cannot control his urine or bowels.
Bladder control still nil
“His subsequent progress has been slow, although he has a much better bladder control. He is still occasionally unable to control his bowels, and the bladder control is still nil. He has inability to have a normal penile response...” the board recommended.
Logovane was nevertheless not dismissed immediately, but his services were finally terminated in 2009.
The board had recommended 100 per cent as compensation for injuries and termination of employment.
“Without the employment, I need this compensation to sustain us (family). My capability was interfered with by these circumstances. I wrote letters while still serving and even after requesting for compensation, none bore fruit. I am not part of the case because I was employed by DoD. Let them pay me then sort out their mess with the insurance company,” he says.
Logovane is now a part-time driver at the primary school where two of his children learn. He no longer uses catheters but relies on pampers which he says are expensive.
When reached for comment, military spokesman Bogita Ongeri, who is on leave, promised to look into the matter saying he had forwarded his file to the relevant office in DoD dealing with cash claims.
“There seems to be a problem but not from our side. That is a long time waiting to be compensated. What I know is our soldiers are normally given some money. Maybe it is the insurance that has delayed. But I will pursue the matter to its final conclusion,” Bogita promised.
