The four helicopters that the Interior ministry procured from Italy, at a cost of Sh4 billion, have landed at the JKIA in Nairobi.
The aircraft were bought from Augusta Westland Company and will be unveiled next Tuesday.
The Committee on Administration and National Security was
shocked on Monday to learn that the Interior ministry bought the helicopters for the National Police Service without approval by the House.
Rogers Mbithi, the
Kenya Police Air Wing
Director, told the lawmakers that
procurement was done by Interior PS Karanja Kibicho and the NPS led by Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet.
The MPs said they wee surprised that such a purchase wa smade without their knowlede, and assured that they will follow up to the end.
The helicopters that the Interior ministry ordered from Italy are pictured at the JKIA in Nairobi, ahead of their unveiling on June 26, 2018. /COURTESY
Meanwhile, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has threatened to revoke the licences of choppers owned by police as they do not have insurance covers.
Mbithi earlier told the committee that two have been lying at the police wing due to lack of spare parts.
In addition, the choppers are repaired by Kenya Wildlife Service because police have not acquired the Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) status from KCAA for it to service them.
“This Airwing is governed by the KCAA unlike the Kenya Air Force which is independent. We are in the third stage of acquiring the AMO. We have well-trained personnel but we can’t service the aircraft,” he said.
A chopper said to have cost the taxpayer about Sh2.2 billion crashed exactly five months after it was bought.
TheAugusta AW-139 police chopper, which crashed in Mathare, Nairobi, was purchased from the same Italy-based company.
The 15-seater helicopter had been termed suitable for search and rescue missions, maritime patrol, law enforcement and VIP and corporate transport.
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