Environment, Climate, and Forestry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Nominee Aden Duale has clarified reports suggesting that Deputy President (DP)Rigathi Gachagua was at one point prevented from using a KDF military chopper.
While appearing before the National Assembly Appointments Committee for vetting on Friday August 2 Duale said only the President and the first lady can use the military chopper to move around the country.
“The president of Kenya President William Ruto and the first Lady are the people allowed to use the military air assets with a rider,” Duale said.
“Within the readings and the instructions of the commander in chief who is the President, instructs anyone to be airlifted, that is in order.”
Duale at the same time also cleared air on reports that the Kenyan military fears him.
“I don’t think the ranks and the leadership of the Kenya Defence Forces fear me. Maybe it is because of my style and i will still take it to the Ministry of Environment,” he said.
In June this year, there were claims that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was denied a military chopper to Masinde Muliro Stadium in Bungoma, the site of the 61st Madaraka Day celebrations.
Gachagua’s allies asserted that it marked the third instance where the Deputy President had been denied military and police aircraft.
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Sources indicated that Gachagua was told he could not use the military chopper due to “bad weather,” compelling him to hire a commercial plane for his journey to Bungoma and later to Nanyuki, where he attended the Kikuyu oldies music extravaganza.
Similarly, on June 9, DP Gachagua was compelled to apologize to President William Ruto after arriving late to the Akorino National Prayer Conference in Nakuru County.
Gachagua arrived at Nakuru Boys High School aboard a private chopper nearly an hour after President Ruto and his entourage had already landed.
This came hardly a week after the former Defence CS on May 30 banned politicians from using military choppers.
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Duale who spoke during an interview on a local TV station said the move was in line with a new policy of the KDF aimed at protecting its assets from misuse.
“We have now a policy where the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) helicopters will no longer be used by politicians. I mean helicopters are meant for specific functions within KDF,” Duale said.
“The choppers and or other assets we have in safeguarding the country. They will be reserved for specific military duties only including carrying troops and vital operations.”
Duale stated that he and former Interior CS Kithure Kindiki are exceptions to the new rule regarding the use of military assets for official duties.
“When I’m going for an operation, I’ll use military assets. Similarly, if my colleague, the CS for Interior, is heading to the North Rift or any other insecure area, he will also use our assets,” he clarified earlier.
Duale’s directive come after the former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla was killed in a military helicopter crash in April in Sindar, Elgeyo Marakwet county.
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