Four victims of the helicopter crash in Nandi on Saturday were flown to Emurua Dikirr on Thursday for a requiem mass ahead of their burial on Friday.
These are the bodies of Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno, Nick Kosgei (photojournalist), Wycliff Kiprotich Rono (protocol officer at Narok County government), Amos Kipngetich Rotich (Kenya Forest Services ranger), and Carlos Robert Kibet Keter (a teacher).
Family members carry the casket bearing the body of Emurua Dikirr, late MP Johana Ng’eno’s personal photographer, Nicholas Koskei, from a military chopper at Mogondo Technical Training Institute on March 5, 2026, before it is taken to Dikirr for the second requiem mass.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation
Narok governor Patrick Ntutu, Deputy Governor Tamalinye Koech, Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei, her Kericho counterpart Beatrice Kemei, Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, Members of Parliament - Brighton Yegon (Konoin) and Victor Koech were at hand to receive the bodies at Emurua Dikirr Technical Institute.
Sergeant-at-Arms load the casket bearing the body of the late Emurua Dikirr MP, Johana Ng’eno into a hearse at Mogondo Technical Training Institute on March 5, 2026 before it is taken to Dikirr for the second requiem mass.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation
At 9:15 am, three Kenya Air Force helicopters landed at the venue carrying the bodies of the victims and their families, while two other helicopters were, by press time, said to be airborne and destined for the landing site.
Bodies of the victims flown in earlier were offloaded from the military helicopters and placed in waiting vehicles by relatives and mourners.
Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu led the leaders to the Dikirr primary school grounds to inspect the venue of the requiem mass while the bodies were left in respective hearses, under police guard, with family members standing by.
"We are going to inspect the venue as we wait for the other bodies to be flown in, in about 45 minutes, followed by a procession to Dikirr primary school grounds for the requiem mass," Mr Ntutu said.
By 10 am, setting up of the t it was still ongoing with the process having been delayed by a deluge of rainfall on Wednesday night.
Narok County Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu, Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Madago and Narok Women Rep Rebecca Tonkei arrive Mogondo Technical Training Institute on March 5, 2026 to receive five bodies of the chopper tragedy.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation
Members of the public headed to the venue as soon as they saw the helicopters arriving in the area, signalling the start of the day's program.
"The fear among the residents is that heavy rains will start early, thus the need to rush the day's program," Ms Beatrice Chebet, a resident of the area, said.
A sombre mood engulfed the area as the reality that the MP (Ng’eno) and five others had indeed perished in a helicopter crash, and they would never set their eyes on them alive again.
President William Ruto is expected to join the mourners for the funeral service on Friday at Dikirr Primary school.
The President has announced that the state will meet all the costs of the funeral and will take care of the needs of the affected families after the funeral.
Dr Ruto also said projects which Mr Ng’eno started would be completed by the government in his honour.
