Senator, diplomat in a spot for ‘misuse’ of police chopper
A Jubilee senator and a diplomat are in a spot after they were seen posing in front of a police chopper before attending the burial of Mike Sonko’s father in Ukambani on Tuesday.
Ms Yvonne Khamati, who works at the Permanent Mission of Kenya to the United Nations, tweeted photos of herself at the Wilson airport with nominated Senator Naisula Leisuuda and said that they were about to set off the burial.
The branded police aircraft is in the background.
She tweeted, “off to bury Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko’s father. Cc Senator @Leisuuda.”
The senator shared the picture with her followers.
The Nairobi News could not establish whether the two flew out in the police chopper or used a private chopper.
But the tweet did not sit well with some Kenyans on Twitter and they went ahead to air their views.
A Twitter user (@JerryKosh) fired the first salvo saying, “That police chopper should be in Boni forest offering aerial surveillance”, while (@alyhdi) went on, “Out beyond of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. Public resources in use.”
Another user (@RexxSimba) tweeted, “misuse of Govt Assets..!!.that’s a Police Airwing Bell Helicopter in the pic..NKT !”
“Same chopper that couldn’t respond to an emergency as it was with the daughter of some high ranking officer?” added @dennislski.
This comes a few months after claims that a police chopper was flying the daughter of a police chief from Mombasa when Garissa University was attacked by Al Shabaab militants leaving dozens dead.
Back then, officers from the elite Recce Squad were forced to use road transport for the rescue mission.
Col(rtd) Mbithi admitted that the plane carried his daughter in law and two children.
“There is nothing to hide. I took full responsibility and admitted it,” said the senior Police Officer during a grilling session over misuse of police plane.