{UAH} Pojim/Ocen et al: Outrage as DP William Ruto is Mentioned in another Major Airport Land Grabbing Scandal

Outrage as DP William Ruto is Mentioned in another Major Airport Land Grabbing Scandal

• Posted on 9 October 2018
• news
• By Staff Writer

Deputy President William Ruto is at  the centre of another major land grabbing scandal after a company associated with him  controversially built "its own airport" within Wilson Airport

Kwae International Development Limited (KIDL), which manages Ruto's fleet of choppers irregularly acquired public land within Wilson Airport and built a private hangar, with own private and exclusive access.

The move, full of impunity, has rattled Kenya Airport Authority, other users of Wilson Airport and has also caught the attention of President Kenyatta.

Unlike all other users of Wilson Airport who use the main entrance on Langata Road, Ruto and KIDL crew use a private gate only accessible from the Carnivore Restaurant side of the airport. 

The "private airport" is under 24 hour heavy security from the dreaded General Service Unit (GSU) officers.

According to a highly placed source, the president was infuriated when he heard of the move and has ordered KAA to shut down the Private access which poses grave security threat to the whole airport.

According to sources at KAA, Ruto irregularly influenced the allocation of the said piece of land, which is now exclusively used by his KIDL choppers.

"There are no approvals from KAA, KCAA or NEMA," said the source. "Everything was done irregularly. There are no minutes on the allocation by KAA board."

The source said the building of the hangar has also interfered with other airlines' operations at the airport.

He said: "Everybody is unhappy…this was hot section where engineers used to perform engine checks after service. Now they have nowhere to do it."

According to another source, former Police Inspector General David Kimaiyo was unceremoniously sacked as KAA chairman after opposing the move to irregularly allocate the land to Ruto's company.

"He (Ruto) bullied KAA and that's why Kimaiyo and Yatich (Kangungo) were unceremoniously kicked out," said the source.

KIDL is managed by Italian born businessman Marco Briggetti, who operates Ruto's choppers. Briggetti is a former ace rally driver and rugby player.

KIDL came to the limelight when one of its pilots who had carried Ruto manhandled a policewoman.

According to the source, KAA has also irregularly allocated another section of Wilson Airport to be used by Ruto's Weston Hotel as parking.

The contentious piece of plot is right opposite the hotel was is where the popular Reminisce Club stood.