There is mounting outrage over revelations that the delay in rescuing students caught up in the terror attack at Garissa University College was caused, in part, by the fact that a chopper to be used for the mission had instead been deployed to transport the relative of senior police commandant and an unnamed businessman hours after it was apparent that the university was under attack by Al Shabaab gunmen.
The revelations have come to light following reporting by the People Daily and Daily Nation that quoted insider sources who confirmed that the Cessna 208B registration number 5YPOL police chopper had left Wilson Airport for Mombasa at 7:30 A.M two and a half hours after the attack at Garissa University Collage had began. The People Daily was coy in its reporting only going as far as saying that the plane’s trip to Mombasa was a “private non-police mission.”
The Daily Nation took things a bit further by revealing that the plane had gone to Mombasa to pick up the daughter-in-law of the Kenya Police Airwing commandant Rogers Mbithi.
#GarissaAttack police plane 5YPOL was sent to Mombasa by Airwing commandant Rogers Mbithi to pick up daughter-in-law and child via Nation
— Robert Nagila (@Rnagila) April 13, 2015
Plane at the centre of the storm #GarissaAttack a Cessna 208B registration number 5YPOL via @NationFMKepic.twitter.com/cGlJrGBw3Y
— Robert Nagila (@Rnagila) April 13, 2015
There is however no confirmation yet on the name of the businessman also reported to have been on the flight.
At least names are emerging, next who is the “mysterious business man.”
— Ory Okolloh Mwangi (@kenyanpundit) April 13, 2015
Who is this Important Businessman who used the police chopper during the #GarissaAttack .Thats how Drugs are transported
— modern kenyan corps (@moderncorps) April 13, 2015
Pressure is already mounting on Mbithi, who has had a long and distinguished career in the police force, to resign following the revelations:
@mackio_ Somehow, despite these accusations, the Airwing commandant is still in office.
— Ronald Mackio (@mackio_) April 13, 2015
Why is the Airwing Commandant still in office as we tweet? #KOT
— Ory Okolloh Mwangi (@kenyanpundit) April 13, 2015
Q: Why is the Air Wing Commandant still in office? A: This is Kenya. Me: Is this really what we tell the 147+ who lost their lives? — Ory Okolloh Mwangi (@kenyanpundit) April 13, 2015
Police Airwing commandant Mbithi was presidential pilot for both former presidents Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki. — Robert Nagila (@Rnagila) April 13, 2015
Confirmation that the police plane was on a private mission is the clearest evidence yet that communication failures and corruption contributed to the death toll at Garissa University College. This is troubling especially if you consider that this is not the first time that corruption and incompetence at the Police Airwing has cost lives.
Why re Kenyans surprised to here that the police chopper was in some private mission during #GarissaAttack .Thats the work of Police Airwing — modern kenyan corps (@moderncorps) April 13, 2015
Remember in Kapedo, Police officers waited for police chopper for more than 17hrs. It only arrived to carry the bodies of the slain officers
— modern kenyan corps (@moderncorps) April 13, 2015
Yet the people in charge appear to be indifferent.
Am sure,If Interior CS wants to attend a seminar in msa,the police chopper wil b on standby, bt that won’t be the case in times of operation
— modern kenyan corps (@moderncorps) April 13, 2015
The Police Airwing is not new to corruption scandals. There have been reports of police planes being used to train private pilots as well as frequent reports of corruption in the purchase of spare parts for the police planes.
“We have information that members of the public have been trained using police aircraft. The matter is being investigated,” said Mr Njoka.”
— Ory Okolloh Mwangi (@kenyanpundit) April 13, 2015
Actually Police Airwing has had corruption issues for a while, see this Mwalimu Mati investigation in 2007: http://t.co/hvQnZNuaxY
— Ory Okolloh Mwangi (@kenyanpundit) April 13, 2015
“The only remaining police helicopter is grounded because the main rotor system bought last year had only 2 flight hours left”
— Ory Okolloh Mwangi (@kenyanpundit) April 13, 2015
The revelations about the goings on the Police Airwing should provide proof that the war against corruption and the war against terror are tied. It’s enough evidence that corruption within the police force is the biggest stumbling block to the government’s efforts to win the war against Al Shabaab. It’s a shame that so many lives had to be lost for this to be put beyond doubt but now its up to the government to do something about it. The lives of Kenyans depend on it.
