KITALE, Kenya Dec 7 – Cabinet Minister Noah Wekesa got the scare of his life Sunday morning when the plane he was travelling in was suddenly forced to make an emergency landing in Kitale.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) helicopter developed mechanical problems and had to make an emergency landing at a farm near Kachibora Police Station in Cherangani Constituency.
“The plane began to experience some trouble, so the pilot made the snap decision to land immediately,” said an assistant to Mr Wekesa who did not want to be named.
None of the five people on board were injured and KWS engineers were immediately dispatched to the area to investigate the incident.
“The highly skilled pilot managed to make a safe landing,” the assistant said. It was piloted by Captain Major (Rtd) Solomon Nyanjui, who has been involved in several crashes including one in 2007 which had him missing for eight days.
The Wildlife minister was on a tour of Cherangani and Mount Kenya forest and was accompanied by the Mount Kenya Regional KWS chief when they were forced to land.
The minister however continued with his tour of the area but it was unclear if he was to visit the Mount Kenya forest Sunday afternoon.
“The minister cannot speak to you as he is currently addressing a meeting here,” said Mr Wekesa’s right hand man.
The incident comes six months following the death of the then Roads Minister Kipkalya Kones and Assistant Minister Lorna Laboso in a Narok plane crash.
Kenya has lost eight ministers to air accidents since 2002.
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