Following a pattern of frequent rescue operations, Kenyans have noticed—with considerable concern—that the helicopters typically utilized to drastically rescue stranded individuals are typically owned by private companies; they are rarely if ever, police or government-affiliated helicopters.
Another noteworthy aspect is that the individuals carrying out these rescue operations are private citizens rather than government employees paid for their services.
Daily sightings of Kenyan politicians jumping out of military helicopters during private events like homecoming parties or their official tours throughout the nation to assess government projects are common. However, these helicopters disappear during emergencies.
On Friday, a helicopter donated by Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) saved a pregnant woman who needed an emergency operation. This came after a severe downpour caused her ambulance to become stranded in the Kulamawe area.
For instance, eight persons were saved from the early-morning flash floods in Samburu East on November 2nd, which carried away a lorry.
After the vehicle carrying the eight was washed away by floodwaters, they were saved by a helicopter from Olmalo Ranch.
A helicopter from the neighboring Olmalo property swooped in to save the team when the truck’s driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting to cross the Lerata River, according to the police.
In May, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust pilots performed an even more audacious rescue effort when they pulled a driver from floodwaters when his fuel truck washed away while he was crossing the Galana-Kulalu bridge.
Witnesses said the driver had been stuck in his car for hours when the river suddenly overflowed and encircled the tanker.
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust pilots promptly mobilized and dispatched a helicopter to the scene. Despite the difficult circumstances, they were able to maneuver the aircraft to hover over the stranded driver and descend it as close as possible so that he could climb aboard.
This happened not too long after the same body was used in the valiant search and rescue of a little child who had been missing for six days in the Tsavo National Park.
These rescue efforts, which are being publicly publicized in the media and online, have highlighted how conspicuously absent government officials have been from every endeavor.
The helicopters employed for some of these difficult missions are rarely connected to the military, the police, or even influential figures in the government.
“This is a second or third time a private individual has rescued Kenyans with his chopper… Zetu ni zakupeleka govt officers’ kids to Mombasa or maternity?” a user asked on X, the former Twitter platform.
As one individual put it, “Because the system was not designed to help the masses but those in power and after independence tulifuata nyayo!” many others appeared to concur with the attitude.
“In the interim, El Nino funds were released,” stated another. What became of that? Politicians are taken to funerals by our government helicopters so they can boast about their parliamentary income. We are at the mercy of Wazungus operating resorts while Kenyans perish in floods!”
An even more devastating observation was made by one of the observers, who said, “If you look closely, you will discover that White people virtually usually carry out these rescue attempts! And here we are, denouncing King Charles for settling Kenya! We ought to be the ones expressing our regret to the Britons at this point.”
When gunmen attacked Garissa University College in 2015, Kenyans were furious at the needless seven-hour delay between the time authorities knew of the attack and the time police commandoes eventually got on the scene.
Authorities were notified of the assault shortly before daybreak, in which four extremists killed 148 people. Still, the helicopter that was intended to transport the police commandos would not arrive for seven hours.
A Cessna 208B aircraft, at the center of the issue, was ultimately used to transport the police commando squad to Garissa while bodies covered in blood were strewn over the ground.
Then-police air-wing chief, Rogers Mbithi, denied that the helicopter was being used for private purposes on April 2 in response to press reports that it had been sent on a training mission, but he later acknowledged that the plane had stopped on the way back to pick up his relatives in Mombasa, a coastal resort, and transport them to Nairobi.
Nothing is to be concealed. My daughter-in-law and two small children were inside when it returned. In that interview, Mbithi told the Daily Nation, “I accepted full responsibility and explained that.”
