DP Ruto's Chopper Attracts Uproar

Deputy President William Ruto has been known to traverse the country in helicopters on several occasions.

On Monday, November 25, despite reports about bad weather conditions in West Pokot, Ruto arrived safely at the Kapenguria Level 5 hospital to console victims of the landslide that claimed over 50 lives.

The chopper, he used, Airbus H145, was the cause of discussions after it emerged that Interior CS Fred Matiang'i's millitary chopper was forced to make an emergency landing in Eldoret. 

According to Aerospace Technology, the chopper costs over Ksh730 million and has unique features.

However, what angered most Kenyans was the fact that digital communications strategist, Dennis Itumbi, stated that the DP personally airlifted medical personnel to the affected sides in West Pokot.

"Good he is helping, but how did he acquire his choppers and ostentatious wealth or does the end justify the means?" former presidential aspirant Martha Karua questioned.

"The DP is flying an H145 Airbus helicopter! The price is Ksh992 million. That is equivalent to building 28 Mbagathi Girls High schools from scratch! The DP would have to sell 6 million chickens to buy that helicopter! Or, he would need to work as a DP for 56 yrs!" a netizen claimed.

"This really annoyed me because a man who sits in the Presidency is literally telling us the government he coordinates can not get its coordination right and he has to do it in his private capacity. Yet he wants to be president. Madness," Ohta Ryota lamented.

"A private chopper is being used to ferry medical personnel to where the military choppers are said could not land raises a lot of questions," Katei Mutuku wondered. 

According to Eurocopter, the plane has a flying range of close to 500km in a single flight, with the capacity to fly at a top speed of 284 km/h and a maximum take-off range of 680km above sea level.

Being a multi-purpose helicopter, it can be used to serve a number of purposes, including air rescue services, law enforcement, private use and civil missions.