How Uhuru forced Ruto to deploy KDF to Bandit areas
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Uhuru Executive Order to move police airwing to the military forced Ruto to deploy KDF to fight bandits according to Gladys Boss Shollei
Uhuru Executive Order to move police airwing to the military forced Ruto to deploy KDF to fight bandits according to Gladys Boss Shollei.
President William Ruto’s move to deploy the military in the bandit-affected regions in the North of the Rift Valley, sparked mixed reactions, with many questioning its legality.
However, while appearing on Citizen TV’s Day Break, on Monday, February 20, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Gladys Boss Shollei shifted the blame to former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“Under the Uhuru regime, the police airwing was moved to the military. As we speak, the police have no airwing of their own such that when they go to such operations in bandit areas, they are not able to send air support,” she revealed.
Shollei claimed that the parliament would need to approve the army’s deployment, but noted that the North Rift operation, the military had been sent to assist the National Police Service (NPS).
However, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and his Makueni counterpart Dan Maanzo refuted her claim by stating that President Ruto needed the National Assembly’s (NA) permission to authorise the deployment.
“President Ruto needs to admit that he might not have known that permission must be sought from NA before deploying the military,”
“It’s illegal and unconstitutional. The President should take responsibility. It’s good to accept and correct for the future, Onyonka stated.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta on September 2020, issued an Executive Order that would have crews in all government aircraft report to the Kenya Air Force Commander.
In the order, all aircraft owned by the National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Power, Kenya Forest Services (KFS), Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) and other State agencies would be managed by Kenya Air Force.
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Traditionally, the Kenya Army has its own fleet of helicopters run by the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), a unit that was formed to replace the disbanded 50ACB (50-Air Calvary Battalion).
The Kenya Air Force, which is under the command of Major General Francis Ogolla, runs utility helicopters.
During Kenyatta’s term as Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, military men were handed key civilian responsibilities in state institutions.
The police bosses wanted to regain control of their choppers, a mandate which Uhuru transferred to the National Air Support Department (NASD) under Kenya Air Force.
In their submissions, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) informed the former Chief Justice David Maraga-led taskforce that they were not receiving enough services since the choppers and planes were transferred to the military.
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