Michael Muchiri, 1962 - 2011
Michael Muchiri, a national of Kenya, was a Regional Security Advisor of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in North Kivu, DRC.
He died on 4 April 2011 aboard a UN plane which had been on a flight from the north-eastern city of Kisangani. The plane crashed at about 1:30 p.m. as it tried to land amid heavy rain and high winds, at N’Djili airport in Kinshasa (DRC).
For the past nine years, Michael had worked for UN missions in the DRC. Since October 2008, Michael had been deployed in the volatile province of Goma in North Kivu where he was responsible for the safety and security of UN staff members, facilities and compounds.
When he first arrived in Goma, he helped UN staff members relocate to safer areas and coordinated with UN peacekeepers to escort staff through stone throwing and small arms firing from local rebel groups. He was also instrumental in the reconceptualization of the UN security and disaster plan. Because of his exemplary performance, he was promoted to the status of Regional Security Advisor in May 2009.
Michael obtained a Master of Arts in International Studies from the Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies, University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Education Science from the Kenyatta University. He also studied at the Centre Inter-Armées de Formation de Rochefort as well as the United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, where he specialized in conflict management.
He was fluent in English, French, Kikuyu and Kiswahili.
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The above tribute was first published on iSeek (the UN's Intranet) using information provided by field missions, the Departments of Peacekeeping and Field Support and OHRM, as well as comments shared by colleagues in conversations, email messages, and media accounts.