MPs give Murkomen 30 days to avail reports of air crashes since 1992

MPs have now petitioned the government to make public reports of all air accidents that have happened in the country in the last 30 years.

Of concern to the legislators are those involving prominent leaders whose reports have never been released several years since the investigations were concluded.

"...we can't be investigating accidents in vain, we must have a report on why it happened and if the recommendations given have been implemented or not," said Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa.

In a directive during a Committee session Thursday, Barasa ordered Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to provide the information within the next 30 days.

The reports, he said, must include the details on procedures used in aircraft investigations and the recommendations given.

"I want to ask the Committee clerk to formally write to you so that you can appear with the air accident investigation experts in the next one month," he said.

Murkomen had appeared before the MPs to give his submission on Kenya's plan to ratify a multilateral agreement on aircraft accident and incident investigation treaty.

Barasa, who chairs the Transport and Infrastructure, also told the CS to avail a safety oversight framework from the civil aviation authority.

This, he said must entail the operating procedures on whether the aircraft operators are adhering to international safety standards.

"We want to know the procedures used by the investigators on situations where an aircraft mishap has occurred, how long they take to come up with the report, the framework of the report and if the recommendations have been implemented," said Barasa.

He cited the crashes that killed prominent leaders who include late Minister George Saitoti and his assistant Orwa Ojode and that of MPs on a peace mission in North Eastern.

The legislator said they want to understand what happened, immediate action that was taken,  the long-term recommendations to avert similar occurrences and status of its implementation.

Murkomen, however, noted that some reports have since been tabled in Parliament.

He cited that of Busia which claimed the life of cabinet minister Ahmad Khalif.

The Committee had earlier on sought to have the reports dating back to 1960s but the CS objected saying it should be confined to a "more reasonable time".