Battle taken to the skies with 50 helicopters listed

Residents of Kiritiri at Umau Stadium in Mbeere South admire helicopters that had ferried Maendeleo Chap Chap leader Alfred Mutua and Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti during a recent political rally. (Photo: Joseph Muchiri / Standard)

President Uhuru Kenyatta and the National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate are among politicians who own some of the 50 helicopters registered by civil aviation authorities.

And the battle for the August 8 elections will clearly be fought in the skies if the number of choppers seen in major public events, including political rallies, is anything to go by.

Helicopters associated with President Kenyatta are among those politicians have leased as campaigns ahead of the August General Elections continues to heat up.

Kirinyaga Woman Representative Purity Ngirichi leased and branded a chopper owned by the Kenyatta family for a record eight months.

She caused a stir when she arrived at the burial of the late Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua in the chopper. Dozens of similar choppers turned the otherwise sombre event into a spectacular show of might.

Closely involved

Ms Ngirici hired the aircraft, a 5Y JNM, last December, for use in her campaigns from Flex Aviation- the firm managing the aircraft on behalf of the Kenyattas. A helicopter is reportedly hired at about Sh150,000 an hour, according to people who are closely involved in helicopter leasing.

Normal rates are Sh180,000 per hour but long-term leasing attracts significantly lower charges, sources told The Standard.

Raila’s owns a Eurocopter, which he is said to be using regularly in his campaigns.

The public has little information about who owns these aircraft because of obscurity at the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

Uasin Gishu gubernatorial aspirant Bundotich Zedekiah Kiprop (Buzeki) hired and branded William Ruto’s three choppers in his campaigns ahead of Jubilee primaries, which he lost to the incumbent Jackson Mandago.

Buzeki, who critics claim is a project of Ruto, has since defected from Jubilee and opted to run as an independent candidate.

Sources at KCAA confirmed most of the branded choppers are owned by the more established politicians. They include Peter Kenneth, who will be contesting the Nairobi governorship as an independent candidate after losing Jubilee nominations to Senator Mike Sonko.

“We have registered not more than 50 choppers,” a source at KCAA told the Standard. It would appear some politicians are pretending to be super wealthy by arriving in rallies in branded choppers.

NASA co-principal Musalia Mudavadi is among the wealthy politicians who own choppers. The registration number of his Eurocopter is 5Y TXM.

A helicopter linked to a politician from Eastern province was written off after it crashed last year during the Tanzanian presidential election campaigns.

Four people, including the pilot, died in the horrific crash. Post-accident analysis indicated the helicopter was damaged beyond repair.

Former Cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott owns two similar choppers operated by Wilson Airport-based Air Kenya.

Meanwhile, official records indicate that businessman Jimmy Wanjigi also owns a chopper that is regularly hired by politicians. Former Cabinet Minister Simeon Nyachae also owns a chopper. Aircraft Leasing Services manages Nyachae’s Eurocopter, registration number 5Y HSN. HSN in the registration number stands for Honorable Simeon Nyachae.

Retired President Mwai Kibaki also owns a helicopter whose registration number is 5Y FWE. The aircraft was acquired about four years ago. Kibaki is reported to have acquired another chopper in 2013. Kanu supremo Gideon Moi and Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti own helicopters as well.