As reported by one of the media houses, drama was witnessed in Kajiado County on Sunday evening after a heated clash happened between the pilot of Governor Joseph Ole Lenku and some young men who were near the governor’s chopper.
The incident left people shocked as the pilot openly exchanged words with members of the public in full view of everyone.
According to the report, the problem began when one of the young men was allegedly seen sitting on the landing skids of the helicopter while the governor’s pilot was preparing for take-off. The pilot quickly walked toward him and confronted him angrily.
Witnesses said the pilot began insulting the young man, calling him disrespectful and careless. Things went out of hand when the pilot slapped the man in front of the public, accusing him of putting both himself and the governor at risk.
“This is not a toy. You are playing with your life and mine,” the pilot was quoted saying as he chased the young man away.
The matter did not end there. The pilot then noticed another man who was busy taking photos of the heated scene. He rushed toward him and began shouting insults at him as well. The pilot demanded that the man delete the pictures immediately.
According to eyewitnesses, the second young man felt embarrassed and scared. He was left with no choice but to run away together with his friend who had been slapped earlier.
The two men disappeared from the area quickly as the chopper stood surrounded by a tense crowd.
However, in a surprising turn, a well-known religious leader, Bishop Ekayo, defended the actions of the pilot. Speaking later, the Bishop said people should not be too quick to judge.
He argued that the two men had gone too far with their behavior, especially by sitting on the skids of a helicopter and joking around a sensitive machine.
“We cannot blame the pilot fully. Those young men risked their lives and showed lack of seriousness around an aircraft. That is dangerous and not something to take lightly,” Bishop Ekaya said.
Despite the Bishop’s defense, not everyone agreed with him. Other Kenyans strongly criticized the pilot, accusing him of overreacting and insulting people who were simply the governor’s supporters.
Some said it was not right for him to embarrass the young men publicly, no matter the situation.
“Respect is a two-way thing. He could have warned them politely instead of insulting them,” one resident complained.
