22 June 2008
Nairobi — Prime Minister Raila Odinga called for speedy investigations into the safety of the Kenyan airspace following the plane crash in which Roads Minister Kipkalya Kones and Home Affairs assistant minister Lorna Laboso died.
The fact that it was an accident is not enough explanation, he said. "Investigations must be carried out, and we must get an explanation from the authorities."
Mr Odinga's sentiments were echoed by National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende and several MPs.
Fatal air accidents
Mr Marende said the many fatal air accidents in the country were a worrying trend.
"Agencies charged with licensing and regulation of airspace must ensure that the laws conform to international standards," he said.
The Speaker said all government agencies involved in licensing planes and pilots should comply with international aviation standards.
MPs who included Mr Franklin Bett, Dr Sally Kosgei and Mr Henry Kosgey, demanded investigations into the operation of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
They also demanded the release to the public of the investigation report to avoid speculation as to what could have caused the crash.
Mr Bett said the government had been handling air accident investigations in secrecy and that, so far, it had not released reports of the probes of the Busia and Marsabit accidents.
Cause of death
"We need to be told what happened so that we know the cause of the deaths of Kones and Laboso," he said.
The MP questioned the secrecy behind air accident investigations and asked the government to be transparent and release the accident reports to the public.
"We want to know the cause of the accidents that killed our colleagues and, if it was human error, let us be told so," he said.
Dr Kosgei also urged the government to release the report of investigations into the Narok air crash so that its findings could help to avert similar accidents.
"We do not want people to speculate about the accidents and dramatise the death of the two legislators," she said.
"We want to know what happened so that we can sleep in peace."
Dr Kosgei said parliamentarians were worried by the deaths of their colleagues in air accidents "and that is why they want causes of such accidents made public."
Mr Henry Kosgey said operations of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority should be investigated. He said available information showed that the plane in which Mr Kones and Ms Laboso died was manufactured more than 50 years ago.
Licensing old aircraft
"Why is the KCAA licensing old planes and inexperienced pilots?" he asked.
"It is not too much to ask to be told what caused the plane crash that killed our colleagues."
Reported by Patrick Mayoyo, Daniel Otieno, Sollo Kiragu and Geoffrey Rono
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