Ng’eno mother to Ruto, residents: Let Emurua Dikirr MP seat remain in my home

Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno’s mother has made a passionate plea to residents to allow the family to retain the parliamentary seat when the by-election is called.

Mama Mary Temas, the mother of the lawmaker whose body lay before mourners led by President William Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, said it was the wish and prayers of the family that one of them takes over the mantle for the remainder of the five-year term.

“I want to make it clear that as Ng’eno's mother, we will not be releasing the leadership baton that my son held on behalf of the people of Emurua Dikirr. It will remain in the family,” Mary said.

Ms Temas said: “For avoidance of doubt, there are befitting sons and daughters in the family who were educated by Ng'eno and have the ability to lead the people of this constituency and complete the projects started by the MP who has left us.”

She revealed that a week before the helicopter crash, she had a dream in which she saw power being handed to her.

“I was surrounded by security officers and told to take charge, which made me ask where the MP (Ng’eno) had gone. In the middle of it, I woke up and wondered what exactly was happening,” Ms Temas said.

The 91-year-old grandmother said that when she received news of the helicopter crash that killed six occupants, she realised the meaning of the dream she had.

In a moving tribute, she led the mourners in praying for the departed souls in a tearful ceremony.

There was tight security during the funeral service for Ng’eno and four other helicopter crash victims in Transmara East, Narok County. It paled in comparison with Thursday when police officers were directed to play a peripheral role as youths from the area took charge of security.

President Ruto, Prof Kindiki, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula and his Senate counterpart Amason Kingi, Head of Public Service Felix Kosgei, Cabinet Secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen and Davis Chirchir, and Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu led mourners in the send-off of the helicopter crash victims.

Walking sticks, batons and swords, which the local community carry almost everywhere, were not allowed into Emurua Dikirr Primary School grounds where the ceremony was held, with five of the six victims of the accident lying side by side – the same way they sat in the helicopter before it tumbled down, killing them on the spot.

The elite General Service Unit (GSU) of the National Police Service directed youths and elders to leave their traditional instruments outside the venue, with thorough searches being undertaken.

It is rare for members of the Maasai and Kalenjin communities to hand over their traditional instruments, which are symbols of leadership and protection – but that had to be broken on security grounds.

Dr Ruto, Professor Kindiki, Cabinet Secretaries and Members of Parliament landed at Emurua Dikirr Technical Training Institute (TTI) in eight helicopters before being driven to the venue of the ceremony while others travelled by road.

Those who perished in the helicopter crash at Chepkiep village in Mosop, Nandi County on February 28, are George Were (pilot), Nick Kosgei (photojournalist), Amos Kipngetich Rotich (Kenya Forest Service officer), Carlos Bernard Keter (a teacher) and Wycliff Kiprotich Rono (protocol officer at the Narok county government).

While serving as a Member of Parliament for Emurua Dikirr in the last 14 years, Ng’eno repeatedly had run-ins with the police.

From Mau Forest, Narok, Angata Barikoi and Emurua Dikirr, the legislator frequently had altercations with security officers over what he described as their overzealous manner of handling issues and the people they were supposed to serve.

Even in death, the police played a peripheral role in the requiem mass that was held at Emurua Dikirr Primary School in his constituency, with his body and that of four others who died with him in the helicopter crash.

On Thursday, when the bodies were flown to Emurua Dikirr for a requiem mass, the police were relegated to the unfamiliar territory of being spectators.

One police officer was injured in a scuffle with hundreds of youths pushing and jostling to take vantage positions at the service, with dignitaries led by Cabinet Secretary for Defence Soipan Tuiya, Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu and Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot watching from the dais.

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi asked the police to step aside and let the youth from the area take charge of security matters until the function came to a close.

“We are asking the police officers here to step aside as the youth from this place will take charge of security issues. They are the ones who understand the ground well and know who is who in the area,” Mr Sudi said.

Mr Sudi said the residents of the area did not want to get into any kind of altercation with police officers who were pushing them back, raising temperatures among the residents who were shouting them down.

“We are asking the police to kindly comply with the orders we have given, which is from the people from this area who want to mourn their leader and their sons who died in the helicopter crash,” Mr Sudi said.

Mr Sudi, who took charge of the reception of the bodies and directed how they would be placed in front of the mourners, family members and dignitaries, had a hectic time controlling the youths who were wailing and seeking to catch a glimpse of the coffins, which remained tightly sealed.

As a result, the police in uniform took a back seat as they retreated in groups and watched the unfolding scenario from the sidelines, with no security breach reported.

Mr Ng’eno had in his political life surrounded himself with a group of youths who offered him informal security whenever he attended functions and freely mingled with people on the ground.

He rarely travelled with his assigned bodyguards, most of whom enjoyed time with their families as their boss travelled in and out of the constituency.

Police had, however, taken charge of escorting the bodies and the dignitaries from Emurua Dikirr TTI, where they were dropped by Kenya Air Force helicopters, to the local primary school grounds for the requiem mass.

The ceremony was briefly disrupted when former Nandi Hills Member of Parliament Alfred Keter arrived amid ululation from the mourners, who seemed to have temporarily forgotten the mood of the moment.

It took the intervention of Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu to calm the mourners as he called for order, saying there was a need to hurry the process to avoid disruption by the impending rains.

But it did not take long before torrential rains pounded the area. Residents braved the downpour, soaking wet as they followed the speeches, with thousands attending and those lucky enough to fit into the tent forced to share the limited space available.

Mr Keter said in his speech that it was painful for the people of Transmara that they had lost a leader credited with opening up the democratic space in Rift Valley and the country.

“Unfortunately, in this country there are leaders and powerful people who, after failing to silence critics whose careers are promising, are even willing to go the extra mile and commit political assassination,” Mr Keter said.

Mr Keter said there was a need for Kenyans to stand firm, hold the government to account, and push for the expansion of democratic space and development.

The legislator was repeatedly arrested by the police for alleged incitement but released without charges in what was seen as an effort by the government to silence him.

Instead, he became bolder in championing the rights of his people, demanding justice as he pushed for land rights, human rights and gender parity in society.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.

[email protected]