Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has traveled to Gaborone, Botswana, for his first international assignment since taking office.
He is representing President William Ruto at the inauguration ceremony of President Duma Boko on November 8, 2024.
This trip marks Kindiki’s return to international travel after two years, having previously been reluctant to travel abroad during his tenure as Interior Cabinet Secretary.
He is accompanied by several senators and members of the National Assembly on this diplomatic mission.
Notably, Kindiki flew to Botswana aboard a chartered Skyward flight.
He left Nairobi aboard a Rolls-Royce powered Fokker 70, which closely resembles Kenya’s official presidential aircraft, recently acquired by Skyward from the Netherlands.
Registered in Kenya as 5Y-SKX, this 29-year-old jet has not yet been adorned with Skyward’s branding and was formerly utilized by Tus Airways in Cyprus and KLM Cityhopper in the Netherlands.
Additionally, SilkAir from Singapore operated the aircraft for a duration of five years until the year 2000.
Fokker 70
Fokker 70 is a narrow-body, twin-engine regional jet developed by Fokker in the early 1990s, serving as a smaller variant of the Fokker 100.
It features two Rolls-Royce Tay 620 turbofan engines, each providing up to 61.6 kN (13,850 lb) of thrust, mounted on the rear fuselage.
With a maximum takeoff weight of 41,730 kg (92,000 lb), it can carry between 72 to 85 passengers depending on configuration.
Its design allows for efficient operations, including steep approaches, making it suitable for airports like London City.
Production ceased in 1997, with 47 units built.