New Mi-24 Choppers Cost Sh20b
Apr 29, 2003
THE Government paid US$10m (nearly sh20b) for three new Mi-24 combat helicopters purchased from the former Soviet Republic of Belarus, the New Vision has established.
By Emmy Allio
THE Government paid US$10m (nearly sh20b) for three new Mi-24 combat helicopters purchased from the former Soviet Republic of Belarus, the New Vision has established.
Sources said the donor countries, including the European Union, had okayed the government plan to acquire the helicopters.
“The planes were bought on cash basis and the purchase justifies the government request from the donor community to approve the increase in the defence budget, “ the source said.
The source said the $10m is part of the additional $17.5m added on the ministry of defence budget after cutsfrom the budgets of other ministries.
The source said, “The balance of $7.5m has been used to purchase military equipment.â€
In February, the government directed some ministries to cut their budget to help fund the military offensive against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in the north.
About sh51.16b was raised from the deduction and transferred from the affected ministries to Defence.
Of this, sh24.8b was from the development and sh18.8b from the recurrent expenditure. The US supported the increase in defence expenditure to end the LRA terrorism.
Ends
THE Government paid US$10m (nearly sh20b) for three new Mi-24 combat helicopters purchased from the former Soviet Republic of Belarus, the New Vision has established.
Sources said the donor countries, including the European Union, had okayed the government plan to acquire the helicopters.
“The planes were bought on cash basis and the purchase justifies the government request from the donor community to approve the increase in the defence budget, “ the source said.
The source said the $10m is part of the additional $17.5m added on the ministry of defence budget after cutsfrom the budgets of other ministries.
The source said, “The balance of $7.5m has been used to purchase military equipment.â€
In February, the government directed some ministries to cut their budget to help fund the military offensive against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in the north.
About sh51.16b was raised from the deduction and transferred from the affected ministries to Defence.
Of this, sh24.8b was from the development and sh18.8b from the recurrent expenditure. The US supported the increase in defence expenditure to end the LRA terrorism.
Ends