Raila Attack: Pilot Says It Will Cost Over Sh10 Million to Replace Damaged Helicopter Windshield

Raila Attack: Pilot Says It Will Cost Over Sh10 Million to Replace Damaged Helicopter Windshield

Following an attack on ODM leader Raila Odinga’s helicopter in Eldoret on Friday, it has emerged that it may cost at least Sh10 million to replace its damaged windshield.

The air shield was broken after rowdy youths pelted the chopper with stones as Odinga and his entourage left the burial of the late businessman Mzee Jackson Kibor in Soy, Uasin Gishu County.

Major (Rt) Thomas Samoei, a senior instructor at the Kenya School of Aviation, told The Standard that such incidents could lead to a hike in aviation insurance prices.

“Normally, insurance cover for a chopper is Sh10 million per year. But the companies hiring them out for political activities would consider increasing the cost of cover against any eventualities,” Samoei explained.

The veteran pilot says laxity among security officers during political campaigns was to blame for the attack on Odinga’s helicopter.

Samoei, a former pilot of Kenya’s second president Daniel Moi, divulged that most of the helicopters used by local politicians are hired from aviation companies.

He noted that there are no locally available spare parts for choppers, and due to import delays it might take three months to replace a broken windscreen.
 
“In Kenya, we don’t have ready-made spare parts and the company will have to source from agents in South Africa. Then again, the same dealer will have to purchase from either US or Europe in a process that would take about a month,” he stated.

He pointed out that a helicopter windbreak goes for around Sh7 million, but the price may exceed Sh10 million if customs and import fees are factored in.
 

Comments

Ole Sanitini (not verified)     Mon, 04/04/2022 @ 01:21am

DP Ruto must repair Raila’s helicopter for ordering his rowdy gangsters to damage it with stone pelting.

At the same time, another female foreigner has been raped in Gong area by a Ruto boda Boda rapist who hinded to DP Ruto’s nonsense telling them not to obey the law. Less than a month ago Ruto sponsored another rapist to molest another foreigner. Ruto stood atop a vehicle encouraging boda boda to continue raping women.

This guy Ruto have really turned kenya upside down with thuggery and all sorts of criminalities. Is Ruto the man Kenyans want to lead our country after all the gains made by Uhuru?

Mkenya halisi (not verified)     Mon, 04/04/2022 @ 06:26am

Alipewa 4 billion after handshake n they spend over 10 billion illegally with BB eye so atoe alipe ama Ataanza PayBill yakusanya watu

Morris Menye (not verified)     Mon, 04/04/2022 @ 11:57am

Uhuru should to stay silent on some national security matters instead of BARKING his imaginary/petty thinking to Kenyans.What does he mean with Kenya being on fire had muuaji Raila being injured?Maybe Uhuru would have paid killer gang,mungiki to kill his fellow Gikuyu tribesmen as no other MuGikuyu would obey his war orders.Or who would have fought the unknown if muchawi was injured?How come the useless,drunk CIC was still clueless on who “stoned” Raila,36 hours after it happened?

Mūgīkūyū (not verified)     Mon, 04/04/2022 @ 12:18pm

Not sure why helicopter parts can not be made in Kenya with all the politicians using them. Why can't they seek contracts esp one Conman WSR who has several of the helicopters bought using stolen funds. Yes, he claims to be a hustler. But then again the character of the man is seriously flawed. He is in government yet does not go to work and receives wages every month.

Morris Menye (not verified)     Mon, 04/04/2022 @ 01:20pm

How come the 17(including 14 from Kondere) people arrested for “stoning” muuaji Raila’s helicopter were not taken to court?Police insiders reveal that they(police) disobeyed Raila instructions to arrest local villagers.But they instead arrested those videotaped throwing stones and hurriedly booked/locked them in local police station.I wonder what a boy called Johnson will say now about muuaji Raila stage-managing the attack.It is a real embarrassment to drunk Uhuru and his bongoinzi worshippers.MAGATHIA MAYA.

Guest (not verified)     Mon, 04/04/2022 @ 04:29pm

We do not need to know how much it costs to repair a helicopter most of us will never own or hire one in our lifetime.Hii kiburi ya watu wa lakeside saa zingine ni upuzi tupu

Yusuf (not verified)     Mon, 04/04/2022 @ 06:25pm

Raila needed to get hold of me. I can get him a used helicopter windshield for $500.00 or Khs 50,000. I can even give it to him free depending on how he going to answer some few questions I plan to ask him especially on Kibera and the Kshs 6,000.000 he has promised to give poor Kenyans a month if he is elected. Is this a way of rewarding Kiberains since all are poor and would be eligible for the fund? Don't misjudge me. I am not a Ruto supporter

Mutuura Mwangi (not verified)     Tue, 04/05/2022 @ 01:34pm

Of course that is an exaggeration. The wind shield and associated works won't cost more than 40 thousand dollars but it doesn't matter. In Kenya everything is inflated.

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