The Office of the Deputy President has come under scrutiny for the absence of a functioning audit committee. Reports show Deputy President Kithure Kindiki hires choppers to fly around. He is on the spot for spending KSh 8 million on a single day. How much did Kindiki’s office spend on chopper rides? The matter came to light on Thursday, April 10, when the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee held sessions to scrutinise Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s expenditure for the financial year 2024/2025. The committee, chaired by Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, questioned pending bills amounting to KSh 478 million, which are owed to suppliers and service providers, according to the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu. Principal Administrative Secretary of the deputy president, Moses Mbaruku, admitted the office lacks a mandatory audit committee, but it is working with the Treasury to address budgetary constraints and clear pending bills.
The team was ordered to submit a detailed documentation within a week, detailing the expenditure. What was more shocking was the revelation that the office spent KSh 8 million on a single day on chopper rides, with the office owing KSh 150 million for chopper services. “There is an entry here for chopper use from Tharaka, Laikipia, Isiolo, Tharaka, Kitui… for KSh 8 million a day… is it reasonable?… I had asked whether it is practicable to spend KSh 8 million in one day… that at least you can answer,” Otiende insisted. How did Kenyans react to the KSh 8m chopper spending? Following the development, Kenyans took to social media to share their thoughts and views on extravagant expenditure in public offices. Many wondered why the second-biggest office on land would hire choppers from private companies instead of using available government helicopters. “Instead of hiring a helicopter at KSh 8 million per day for Kindiki, why not buy one and have police pilots? We are wasting money to enrich a few people with access to the state,” suggested Mwirigi wa Kibaki.
“First was the statehouse spending a whopping 24 million daily, and now Kindiki spends KSh 8 million daily on fuel, we need to get these people out asap akiz,” tweeted Bitterswt. “If Kindiki spends 8mi llion a day on a helicopter, why can’t we just buy him a new helicopter?” argued Ksh. Ksh. politicalNairobi CountyDennis Itumbi Kindiki’s choppers don’t, being Eng Kogi. “Haiyaa so its Mps who are concerned about Uncle Kindiki’s increased spending on choppers……amkeeni kijana wa nyumbani wants to be sacrificed hahaa everything ha,ppens by design uzuri ss we don’t care, we warned him,Kindiki’schoppersdon’t but he was so blinded with the newly found love narudi nyumbaaaaniiiii….kaende sana,” added Mary Njoroge.
