The majority of senior government officials have been locked out of access to military choppers in the new stern measures set by the Ministry of Defence.
In the new developments, The Kenya Defence Forces wrote to senior government parastatals to commission them to share in their costs but some declined. Majority responded.
Subsequently, the defence arm was forced to regulate access to military choppers to avoid unnecessary expenditure from rebels- those who declined.
Addressing the issue on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday evening, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah stated that the new regulations were aimed at cutting down unnecessary operational costs in the KDF.
"The Defense Cabinet Secretary (Aden Duale) did inform me that for the last year, the aircraft used by the Deputy President, Prime Cabinet Secretary, and other senior government officials occasioned an expenditure of Sh500 million to KDF," Ichung’wah explained on the floor of the National Assembly.
To save on other unplanned expenses, Ichung’wah added that the Ministry of Defence had rolled down a procedural process to be adhered to by senior government officials.
Of the procedures, the senior officials have to make a formal request before being granted by the KDF to use those choppers.
“Kenya Defence Forces has now made a policy decision that should any official want to use the military aircraft, it must be on request."
While answering concerns over the recent developments of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s use of commercial flights, Ichung’wah averred that the use of commercial airlines by senior government officials is not unusual.
“When William Ruto was the deputy president, he not only used Kenya Airways but also Jambo Jet, and other commercial flights in the country,”
The Majority Leader added that on his flight to Mombasa, the Deputy President was well secured. According to him, Gachagua had with him a minimum of 14 security personnel.
He however promised to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Aden Duale, to appear on the floor of the National Assembly and answer related questions from members of the NA.
