No New Planes for Police as Tender is Cancelled

In an advert in the daily newspapers, the office of the Inspector General of Police cancelled an advertisement placed on the papers on Tuesday, April 14th, 2014.

The Inspector General Joseph Boinett had advertised for the supply of five planes to be used in security operations.

The advertised planes included four (4) new Twin Turbine Engine utility helicopters and one new Twin Turbine Engine troop carrier helicopter.

The purchase of the five aircrafts would see the police service have eight operational aircrafts up from the current three.

Using police plane for personal business

So far, the police service has ten planes of which seven have been grounded and some are said to be beyond serviceable limits.

Mr. Boinett took the step to advertise for the supply of the planes after questions about the usage of police planes arose.

The Police Airwings Commandant Rogers Mbithi has been accused of using a police plane to carry out personal businesses.

Mr. Mbithi is accused of using one of the planes to ferry his family members from Mombasa to Nairobi in the wake of Garissa University attack by Al Shabaab militants.

However, Interior Cabinet Secretary Major (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery said that Mr. Mbithi did nothing wrong by allowing his family members to ride on the plane.

He said that Mbithi’s family members were authorized passengers of the police aircraft.