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Wealthy Kenyans imported over 300 helicopters from South Africa at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, it has emerged.
Recent data from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) shows that a total of 325 helicopters valued at Sh3.6 billion were brought in from South Africa in the year that Kenya experienced an economic slowdown due to the global Covid-19 crisis, leading to a massive loss of jobs.
The Standard reports that the aircraft were likely acquired by politicians as they prepare for campaigns ahead of this year’s general elections.
No helicopters were imported in 2021 but 519 helicopter engines worth Sh1.6 billion were shipped to Kenya from South Africa over the course of the year, according to data from the country’s tax authority.
Data shows that the number of helicopters in Kenya increases around the electioneering period as politicians seek convenient transport means to crisscross the country in search of votes.
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Director-General Gilbert Kibe was quoted as saying in a past interview that the number of registered helicopters stood at 67 as of December 2020.
“Before we reach election time, I am sure they will be more than 100,” he said.
Kenyan politicians prefer to buy choppers from South Africa, where they get options to either buy or rent for campaigns. KCAA says that most helicopters in Kenya are from South Africa. In 2005, two years before the 2007 general election, Kenya imported 212 helicopters from South Africa.
In Kenya, it costs between Sh150,000 and Sh170,000 per hour to hire a three-seater chopper, and up to Sh250,000 per hour for higher-capacity helicopters. The average cost of a helicopter in South Africa is Sh200 million, exclusive of local registration charges.
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You mean an 8-hour ride in a higher-capacity helicopter can meet the costs of constructing a 2-bedroom house in most parts of Kenya? Hebu imagine Ruto has 4 of these helicopters plus 4 more currently housed at Entebbe airport in Uganda.
Bobby, he does. Every Sunday dishing it out to hungry villagers in church….so gullible that they don’t know this money was meant for kimwarel dam.
You mean an 8-hour ride in a higher-capacity helicopter can meet the costs of constructing a 2-bedroom permanent house in most parts of Kenya? What is even more shocking is that Ruto has 4 of them at Wilson airport and 3 more at Entebbe airport in Uganda.
Focussing on one man makes you lose sight of massive corruption undertaken by hundreds of bigwigs in politics and govt. Open ya eyes mister
Stop taking sides or does your rural neighbor,Ihuru give you a free ride in his chopper?Raila stole from you to purchase his eight choppers.Ihuru,Ruto,Kibaki,Gideon expired Kirubi,Moi etc looted your taxes to purchase their choppers.Kabogo,Joho,Mwau etc sold drugs to your children in Kenya and diaspora on top of looting taxpayers funds to purchase theirs.
Importing everything from chopper to eggs and matchstick isn't development but backwardness. Progressed nations make things. Things made bring trillions in USD
Whaah! Since the airspace will be way too crowded I think i will be forced to put mine on long term parking!
On a serious note, that’s our country’s STOLEN money! Sad but true!
And more will be stolen to make up for these ridiculous expenses.Some will be written off as business expenses, giving the thieves 100% profit with zero cost on their part.
This is the flavor of the day- choppers.Next flavor will probably be leerjets imported from Canada,
Na hiyo ndiyo maendeleo... We have our priorities screwed.How will choppers turn an worthy candidate into a worthy one. Voters, dont be awed by these extravagance. Its you footing the bill.
GG everything to the last shilling is stolen. Can you imagine that. Believe me not….ile sadaka Ruto alitotoa last Sunday was stolen money. Let that sink in bro
Shetani nyinyi
Helicopters imported by elite thugs after looting everything from fools/hungry billionaire Kenyans who will start praising the gods as WENYE AKILI.RISASI TU.
Is this a 3rd world….reeeeally? Surely even in the US they don’t use private choppers to campaign except presidential candidates cause they have more campaign money. Anyway east or west home is the best but for this one I’ll dtay west
In the USA they hire airplanes full size jets for presidential campaigns or small commuter private jets for other races during same campaign periods as they are faster and US is approximate 40 times larger than Kenya by surface area(50 states). The cost of leasing is far much less compare to Kenya for the small aircraft.
It's around 17x larger but you are right about the use of aircraft. Of course if politicians in Kenya weren't such prodigious thieves, they wouldn't have to fly because Kenya would have a better road and rail network.
That's $2M a chopper - Kenyans are wealthy people despite the on-going struggles - but one has to make it to the public office first.
Dude….wealthy? Nay bro. Thugs. Thieves. Wezi. Mikora. Aici
They will recoup all that money when they get elected. Watch out for mega scandal than ever before.
Wow! That's money that can buy a bungalow in Kitisuru & still be left with cash that could get you an apartment.
As usual our politicians want the best. There's cheaper but smaller choppers, where do our people get all this cash to buy the SUV of choppers?
Guys in diaspora make money come back home enjoy life Relax n leave what is called a good life but if u chose to b a slave huko majuu don’t complain.
..this forum is for those who have not made it 'your' way. You should be busy taking care of all 'those' riches in your mama's boma.... not here. And by the way, count the years since you were deported....you still bitter about Lucy...she remarried and said good riddance to you. It's a long time ...move on and stop posing here...some of us tunakujua you pathetic thing.
And we still want to vote these hooligans in right? When will we as kenyans learn? do we have to keep voting these same thieves in? These Same people have been in these politics for ages. Isnt there anybody else to lead surely? Wish us kenyans can wake up and salvage our country. The poor will continue to stay poor and rich richer, no jobs for our youths either.
It is all the wealthy stolen from the government deals through corruption. We need to vote these thieves out of office. These thieves can afford to run around using these expensive choppers while many Kenyans are sleeping hungry.