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NASD is a multi-agency unit created to consolidate and ensure efficient utilisation of national aviation assets.
- President William Ruto has however indicated plans to return back the operations to mother departments.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday visited specialised police formations stationed in Kakuma and parts of Turkana county.
They include the General Service Unit, the Rapid Deployment Unit, Critical Infrastructure Policing Unit and Anti-Stock Theft Unit.
Kindiki's visit aimed at appreciating and encouraging the officers.
He also announced plans to revitalise the Police Equipment Modernisation Programme.
This aims to increase air and land assets and personal protective equipment for officers confronting banditry, terrorism and organised crime.
It will also include pumping more resources to revitalise the police airwing.
In attendance were Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai, GSU commandant Douglas Kanja, Turkana county security team and senior ministry officials.
The police airwing is grounded over various issues including finances.
Their choppers can’t operate because of lack of funds to repair them. The fleet was put under National Air Support Department.
NASD is a multi-agency unit created to consolidate and ensure efficient utilisation of national aviation assets.
The department is supposed to manage choppers from key government ministries and agencies such as KDF, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Pipeline Company.
One of the police choppers, an Agusta Westland AW119, which is among the new fleet acquired by the service crashed on June 13, 2020 in Embu and has not been repaired or replaced.
Another one crashed in 2016 in Mathare slums, Nairobi. The Agusta Westland 139 police helicopter was on routine operations when it crashed.
This left police with only five choppers, which are all grounded. The airwing is a key support unit of the National Police Service.
Worse is that four pilots have left the airwing for greener pastures leaving it with only four experienced ones.
In December 2020, former president Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the official handover of government civilian-owned planes to the military, for management.
He later launched NASD at Wilson Airport in Nairobi.
Uhuru said the NASD mandate is to provide a centralised management of national aviation assets for optimal utilisation, management and serviceability.
Other roles include to enhance safety, swift response and quality of aviation services in line with the various stakeholders’ core mandates.
President William Ruto has however indicated plans to return back the operations to mother departments.