Odhiambo Orlale
23 June 2008
Nairobi — Transport minister Chirau Mwakwere is on Tuesday expected to shed more light on the plane crash in which Roads minister Kipkalya Kones, and Home Affairs assistant minister Lorna Laboso were killed.
The minister will appear before the parliamentary committee on transport, communications and energy chaired by Karachuonyo MP, Mr James Rege, to give an official statement on the ill-fated June 10 flight which also claimed the lives of the pilot, Mr Christoph Schnerr and the minister's bodyguard, Mr Kenneth Bett.
The 11-person committee will ask the minister to detail the history and air-worthiness of the Cessna plane and also brief it on the German pilot's professional background.
Mr Kones was buried on Saturday, while Ms Laboso was buried on Friday.
Political leaders and members of the public have demanded a thorough probe.
Speaker Kenneth Marende has, in the past week, made three appeals to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to get to the bottom of the crash and let the public know what caused it and others before it.
A plane crash in Marsabit two years ago claimed the lives of five MPs.
On Friday, the parliamentary committee held a meeting with KCAA director-general Chris Kuto and board chairman Erastus Mwongera.
Frequency
Mr Kuto said that the ill-fated Cessna was properly registered and maintained and assured the committee that investigations would be thorough.
During Mr Kones' burial, Prime Minister Raila Odinga expressed concern at the frequency of air the crashes.
"The explanation that it was an accident is not enough. We must get an explanation from the authorities," the Prime Minister said.
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