This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
Kenya Defence Forces Aircraft Crashes in Machakos County ¶
On July 13, 2020, a light aircraft belonging to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) crashed at Kanyonga area in Masinga, Machakos county, resulting in the loss of two soldiers.
The crash has sparked concerns about the maintenance and age of the KDF's aircraft fleet, with some experts suggesting that the incident may be a result of either an ageing fleet or badly maintained aircraft.
As reported in February 2017, Kenya's bid to purchase Sh41 billion attack aircraft from an American firm was questioned by US lawmakers, who alleged that the cost was inflated and that the company contracted to deliver the aircraft, L3 Technologies, had no experience converting agricultural aircraft into intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft with precision-strike capability.
Additionally, in October 2017, local media exposed the KDF for buying defective aircraft that had not been used since their procurement in 2007. An audit verification of the aircraft, procured at an initial cost of $15,291,503 (Sh1.58 billion at current rate), showed that the defects identified at the time of delivery had not been rectified as at the date of inspection in June 2016.
‘Today's crash might be a product of either ageing fleet or badly maintained fleet or both’, a security expert said.
