NAIROBI, KENYA – A scathing audit by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has exposed a severe crisis within the National Police Service (NPS) Air Wing, revealing that nine of its eleven aircraft are grounded, leaving national security and emergency response capabilities dangerously compromised. The report, released last Thursday at the National Police Leadership Academy, paints a grim picture of an essential security unit crippled by poor maintenance, a lack of spare parts, and systemic logistical challenges. This situation, described by the EACC as undermining the "effectiveness, cost-efficiency and operational responsiveness" of the police, has reignited a fierce debate over the airworthiness of the fleet and the safety of the officers who fly in them.

The audit’s findings confirm what many in the security sector have feared for years. The grounded fleet consists of aging and poorly maintained aircraft, some of which are described as “mere shells.” This operational paralysis directly impacts the NPS's ability to perform critical functions such as aerial surveillance, rapid deployment of specialized units, casualty evacuations, and VIP transport, all essential for combating banditry, terrorism, and responding to natural disasters. The reliance on a skeletal fleet of just two operational aircraft places immense strain on resources and personnel, with one aviation expert warning that even these are a “disaster in waiting.”

A History of Tragic Incidents

The perilous state of the police air wing is underscored by a long and tragic history of fatal crashes. The most high-profile of these remains the June 10, 2012, crash of a Eurocopter AS350 in the Ngong Forest, which claimed the lives of then-Internal Security Minister Professor George Saitoti, his assistant Joshua Orwa Ojode, two pilots, and two bodyguards. An official inquiry cited loss of control in poor visibility as the probable cause, but the incident left an indelible mark on the nation's psyche and raised early alarms about the unit's safety standards.

This was not an isolated event. The NPS has been plagued by numerous other incidents, including the 2016 crash of an Augusta-AW 139 helicopter in Nairobi and the crash of a newly acquired Mi-17 helicopter in Boni Forest in 2018. More recently, an Mi-17 helicopter, registration 5Y-SFA, has been involved in multiple mishaps. In November 2025, it made a hard landing in Marakwet East during a landslide rescue mission, an incident captured in viral videos that sparked public outcry. This same aircraft had also made an emergency landing in Bomet County just weeks earlier and had crash-landed at Wilson Airport in 2019.

Systemic Failures and Attempts at Reform

The roots of the Air Wing's decay are complex, with experts and official reports pointing to chronic underfunding, mismanagement, and questionable procurement deals. In December 2020, citing allegations of corruption and inefficiency, former President Uhuru Kenyatta issued an executive order placing all government aircraft, including the police fleet, under the management of the military-led National Air Support Department (NASD). The move was intended to enforce higher maintenance standards and improve coordination.

However, the transfer was fraught with challenges. A 2023 task force on police reforms, led by retired Chief Justice David Maraga, found that the NASD arrangement hampered police operations, creating command-and-control issues that delayed critical responses, such as the airlifting of injured officers. The Maraga report described the Air Wing as a “critical national asset” and strongly recommended its return to exclusive NPS control, a move that was implemented in 2024.

In a sign of progress, the NPS Air Wing was certified by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) as an Approved Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) in April 2025. This certification allows the unit to service its own aircraft, a step hailed by Deputy Inspector-General Eliud Lagat as a milestone that would reduce downtime and enhance operational readiness. Despite this, the recent EACC audit and continued incidents suggest the unit is still far from being a “regional leader in aviation excellence” as envisioned by its commandant, Captain James Kabo.

As the government grapples with persistent security threats across the country, the findings of the EACC report serve as an urgent call to action. In April 2023, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki declared the Police Airwing “completely dead” and pledged a revival, including the acquisition of new gunship helicopters and drones as part of a Sh20 billion modernization plan. The Kenyan public and the officers on the front lines now await the fulfillment of these promises, hoping for a future where the Police Air Wing is a symbol of strength and safety, not a source of national concern.