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Uhuru to Put All Government-Owned Aircraft Under the Military
The Kenya military is set to take over the management of all State-owned aircraft, according to reports.
The Standard reported that plans are at an advanced stage to have all planes owned by various State corporations placed under the command of Kenya Air Force, a wing of the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF).
Quoting officials privy to the matter, the publication said the aircraft, including helicopters and fixed wings aircraft, will be rebranded and put under the command of the Kenya Air Force for accountability.
Some of the government agencies and departments that own planes include Kenya Police, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), KenGen, Kenya Power, Ketraco among others.
Kenya Air Force Commander Major General Francis Ogolla and Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai are said to have met police pilots and engineers on Tuesday at the National Police Service air wing based at Wilson Airport to announce the plans.
“They are now awaiting the Executive Order [from President Kenyatta] to effect these planned changes. The military will run our fleet,” a source told The Standard.
The development comes barely a month after the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) was moved from the State Department of Agriculture to the Ministry of Defense.
President Kenyatta has faced accusations of trying to militarize civilian institutions after he also appointed Major General Mohamed Badi as the director-general on Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS)