Only two of 11 police aircraft operational, rest grounded over maintenance failures, EACC audit reveals
The audit, commissioned by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja in February, examined the systems, policies, procedures, and practices of the NPS, with the aim of improving service delivery and identifying potential corruption loopholes.
A recent Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) audit has revealed that only two out of 11 aircraft in the National Police Service (NPS) Air Wing are currently operational, with the rest grounded due to mechanical failures and a lack of spare parts.
The audit, commissioned by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja in February, examined the systems, policies, procedures, and practices of the NPS, with the aim of improving service delivery and identifying potential corruption loopholes.
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“At the time of the examination, out of the air wing's fleet, only two were operational while the rest were grounded due to poor maintenance and lack of spare parts,” reads the report.
The report highlights that the grounding of the majority of the fleet has undermined the effectiveness, cost-efficiency and operational responsiveness of the Air Wing, diminishing its contribution to national security and public safety.
“The Inspector General should allocate adequate resources for fleet maintenance to restore airworthiness. A comprehensive maintenance plan should be put in place to repair grounded aircraft and procure necessary spares, while any unsafe or beyond economic repair airframes should be disposed of," the report states.
The report was based on interviews with the commandant and deputy commandant of the NPS Air Wing, and also highlighted structural issues. Functionally, the Air Wing reports to Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat but remains under the overall command of IG Kanja, creating administrative complexities.
The audit further highlighted weaknesses in the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), which is yet to fully devolve functions to the counties. According to the audit, the unit is significantly understaffed, with 74 personnel against the recommended 1,168, including only 10 non-uniformed officers.
“Understaffing is a weakness that crippled the actualisation of the unit's mandate, hindering effective service delivery,” reads the report.
IAU officers are recruited from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Administration Police Service and Kenya Police Service, and can be redeployed at the discretion of the IG. For instance, in March 2024, the IG redeployed 53 out of 120 officers, reducing the unit's strength to 67 officers.
Subsequently, 30 of the remaining officers were recalled for promotional training, leaving only 27 officers available to execute the unit's mandate. The audit also notes that the unit has no platform to provide feedback to complainants, informants or whistleblowers.
The NPS Air Wing, based at Wilson Airport, is mandated to provide aerial support, including search and rescue, casualty evacuation, anti-terrorism operations, crime prevention, air patrols and VIP protection.
However, most of its aircraft are grounded due to ageing fleets, poor maintenance, lack of funding, and administrative challenges. In 2017, the police acquired two Mi-17 helicopters, increasing the fleet to 11, but only two remain operational today.
Public concern has risen following incidents such as a November 3 landslide rescue in Marakwet East, where a Mi-17 helicopter registered 5Y-SFA made a hard landing after losing lift.
Although no fatalities occurred, the footage went viral on social media. The same aircraft previously made an emergency landing in Mulot, Bomet County, in August, and had crash-landed in November 2019 without casualties.
In April 2025, the NPS Air Wing was certified by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) as an Approved Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO), enabling independent servicing and inspection of aircraft. Deputy IG Eliud Lagat hailed the certification as historic, while Air Wing Commandant Captain James Kabo said the unit aimed to become a regional leader in aviation excellence.
Despite the achievements, repeated incidents, including the Chesongoch and Mulot emergency landings, and the audit’s revelations, highlight persistent gaps in maintenance and operational safety.
The NPS Air Wing has a troubled history of crashes, including the 2012 Eurocopter AS350 crash that killed former Internal Security Minister Prof George Saitoti and his deputy Joshua Orwa Ojode, and previous accidents involving Mi-17, AS350, Bell 206 and AW139 helicopters.
A 2023 government review led by Former Chief Justice David Maraga called for urgent modernisation of the Air Wing, describing it as “a critical national asset whose operational capacity must not be compromised.”
The Air Wing then returned under police control in 2024, after three years under the KDF-led National Air Support Department, following a 2017 transfer by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to address mismanagement and safety concerns.
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