Kenya police choppers’ crash worrying

A scene of the police helicopter crash in Mathare, Nairobi. PHOTO: FILE

NAIROBI: On Thursday last week a police helicopter crashed in Mathare Nairobi, injuring three police officers. This is the second crash by a police helicopter after the June 2012 crash in which six people, including the then Internal Security Minister George Saitoti were killed.

The cause of the latest crash is yet to be established. Last month, another helicopter crash-landed at Wilson Airport. This raises fundamental questions on the state of police helicopters in the country. The helicopter that crashed in 2012 entered service in January 2012 and crashed in June 2012.

The latest copter entered service in April 2016 only to crash five months later. Is this an indictment on the quality of helicopters the police purchase for use? It is emerging the purchase of the Augusta Westland helicopter from Italy at a cost of Sh680 million through single sourcing, had been opposed by aviation experts because of a documented poor safety record.

And if quality is not the issue, is the mechanical department of the police air wing up to the task of carrying out maintenance? A lot of money is being put into equipping the Police Service to facilitate its operations to maintain law and order. The safety of police officers and the quality of mechanised transport should not be compromised for any other consideration.