KALONZO IN ANOTHER MISHAP

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka had to change flights on Wednesday after a military aircraft he was travelling in developed mechanical problems.

The VP and his entourage had been airborne for about 30 minutes when their Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft was reported to have problems, forcing the pilot to fly back to Wilson Airport, where he had taken off at 1pm.

According to sources at the airport, the VP was headed to Sudan for the inauguration of President Omar Hassan el Bashir, who was recently declared winner of the presidential elections.

The sources, who asked not be named, said airport personnel immediately put in place emergency teams, including ambulances, in readiness for the plane carrying Mr Musyoka and other officials.

“The plane turned back when it was flying over Lake Baringo and landed safely. Although the problem was fixed, the VP decided against flying in it,” said the sources.

Defence spokesman Bogita Ongeri said the pilot decided to return to Nairobi when he detected the technical hitch. This is the second air incident involving the VP this year.

In March, Mr Musyoka, Cabinet minister Naomi Shaban, and two assistant ministers cancelled the trip when a military helicopter they were travelling in developed mechanical problems.

The VP was headed for the Kenya-Uganda border to distribute relief items to landslide victims when the helicopter developed hydraulic problems at Nakuru and the pilot was forced to land at the Kabarak airstrip. The trip was called off.

On Wednesday, Mr Musyoka, who was accompanied by MP Mohammed Affey, later left the country at 5.30pm through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport aboard a Kenya Airways aeroplane.

Twin engine

The Bombardier Dash 8 or Q Series, previously known as the de Havilland Canada Dash 8 or DHC-8, is a series of twin-engine, medium range, turboprop airliners.

Introduced by de Havilland Canada (DHC) in 1984, they are now produced by Bombardier Aerospace. More than 1,000 Dash 8s have been built, with Bombardier forecasting a total production run of 1,192 units through to 2016.