Exactly two weeks after President Uhuru Kenyatta tasked the military to run struggling Kenya Meat Commission (KMC), it has emerged that plans are under way to hand over more civilian affairs to the soldiers.
Reports indicate that plans are at an advanced stage to hand over the management of state owned aircraft to the Kenya Airforce.
Sources in the know intimated to The Standard that it’s just a matter of days before the President issues an Executive Order directing the National Police Service and state parastatals including Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), KenGen, Kenya Power and Ketraco to handover their aircraft to the military.
Kenya Air Force Commander Major General Francis Ogolla and Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai are said to have met police pilots and engineers on Tuesday at NPS air wing at the Wilson Airport where they briefed them on the plans.
Read: Kenya Meat Commission Transfered To The Ministry Of Defence
“They are now awaiting the Executive Order to effect these planned changes. The military will run our fleet,” an officer privy to the plans disclosed to the daily.
Major General Ogolla is also said to have recently met senior officials from the named state agencies to deliberate on the take over.
After the Head of State issues the Executive order, part of the plan is to rebrand helicopters and fixed wings aircraft and place them under the command of the Kenya Air Force for accountability purposes.
Read Also: LSK Sues Agriculture CS Peter Munya Over The Transfer Of KMC To The Ministry Of Defence
The transfer of parastatal aircraft to the military will be President Kenyatta’s latest move to transfer civilian operations to the military amid criticism.
In a show of trust to KDF, the President has over the recent past picked military men to head key institutions in his government including a move to appoint Major General Mohamed Badi to head the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) in April after Nairobi County Governor Mike Sonko was barred from office over graft.
Here are some of the reactions online:
Kenya Defence Forces @kdfinfo have for years earned high trust among Kenyans. KDF is constitutionally established institution with nonpartisan ethic. Military must not become a vehicle for Uhuru Kenyatta. Military needs to resist his efforts to involve it in partisan politics
— Ndung'u Wainaina (@NdunguWainaina) September 24, 2020
Nikubaya! Soon SGR and the Airports will be managed by the Military then …. welcome to the new military state of Kenya! Mujipange!
— Sen. Ledama Olekina (@ledamalekina) September 24, 2020
The military will now take over Kenya Power and Lighting Company? Wueh! Where are we headed? Which game is President Uhuru Kenyatta playing? But if the take over will improve the pathetic services at KPLC, am in for it. Kenya Power needs redemption.
— Juma G 🇰🇪 (@jumaf3) September 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/AlmamyMoha/status/1309024059229954048?s=20
https://twitter.com/kenyaone/status/1309017205372342275?s=20
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