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A minister and an MP clashed over a multi-million-shilling contract for the repair of police helicopters. Internal Security minister John Michuki told the House that the police force was entering a five-year contract with an international firm for the repair of helicopters.

The minister said the contract involved the repair of several helicopters which could not be serviced by the Russian manufacturer. Mr Michuki had stood on a point of order after a claim by Mr Joseph Nyaga (Gachoka, Narc) that the Government had paid an Israeli firm Sh896 million ($12.8 million) to repair the helicopters.

Mr Nyaga, who claimed corruption was still rife in Government, said it was sad that Kenyans would be paying Sh210 million ($3 million) to repair a helicopter. However, Mr Michuki asked the Gachoka MP to stop misleading the House, saying he (Nyaga) had not read the terms of the contract.

Mr Michuki was also on the receiving end as MPs Raila Odinga (Lang’ata, Narc) and Wangari Maathai (Tetu, Narc) accused the police force of engaging in extra-judicial killings in their fight against crime. They asked why police had resorted to killing people suspected to be criminals instead of arresting them. Mr Michuki defended the killings and said the police force was carrying its duty of containing criminals.