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Johana Ng'eno was headed for a historic victory against Minister Gideon Konchellah when vote counting was stopped.
Just like his political life, Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno’s catastrophic death has equally dragged controversy, as a section of politicians and his constituents call for a thorough probe into the crash.
Opinion is divided on whether it was outright human error for a pilot who disregarded horrible weather to take to the skies almost immediately after the same had forced him into an emergency landing, or whether there could be more than meets the eye.
The fiery lawmaker, who died alongside five others when their helicopter crashed and burst into flames in Mosop in Nandi County on Saturday, ferociously fought everyone who attempted to touch the people and his beloved constituency, which was born out of tears and blood for a people who unrelentingly fought against open marginalisation.
Emmurua Dikirr Member of Parliament Johana Ngeno speaks at Kipsinge in Sotik constituency, Bomet county on March 28, 2024.
Just like the Biblical reference to John the Baptist, who was the lone voice in the wilderness and also prepared the way, Johana, which is the equivalent of John, is the man who prepared the way leading to the creation of Emurua Dikirr Constituency. During the controversial 2007 polls, when the election was called, two of the then 210 constituencies had no MPs-elect.
Wajir North remained vacant after the General Election following an unprecedented tie, while in Kilgoris there were no results to declare. Little-known Johana Ng’eno, running as an underdog on a small party, Kaddu, was headed for a historic and big victory and was sure of trouncing PNU’s Immigration Minister Col (Rtd) Gideon Konchellah when vote counting was stopped.
The election was purely fought as an ethnic war, when with the parliamentary race was turning into an outright political battle between the Maasai and Kipsigis community communities. Candidates in the election were incumbent Col (Rtd) Konchellah (PNU), Julius Sunkuli (Kanu), Peter Sapalan (ODM), Simon ole Maasi (ODM-K), Samuel Tunai (UDM) and Johana Ng’eno (Kaddu), among others.
The vote of indigenous (host) Maasai was divided among some of the main candidates from the community, while the immigrants threw their weight behind Ng’eno, the split vote handing him a clear victory until violence broke out when violent mobs stormed the tallying centre, impeding conclusion of vote counting and result declaration.
Ballot material razed
The mission was to ensure Ng’eno, who was viewed as an outsider, was denied victory by all means. Hopes of having vote counting resume were extinguished a few weeks later when the hall where ballot material had been kept was razed to the ground following an ‘arson’ attack.
This meant a fresh election was called, which escalated ethnic rivalry even more when elected lawmakers from Kipsigis land, led by firebrand Isaac Ruto from Chepalungu and Franklin Bett of Bureti constituencies, stepped forward in support of unrelenting Ng’eno, whom they poached to ODM, a nomination that stirred the waters even further in Maasai land. Rift Valley Province, under William Ruto, ODM pentagon member, had voted overwhelmingly for Raila Odinga, which made it easier for the community to demand the ticket.
A rattled Maasai community resolved to retain the seat at all costs, electing to back one candidate, Konchellah, who was a serving minister, and negotiating a government appointment for Sunkuli, who was later appointed Kenyan envoy to China.
The campaigns were high-octane. Those backing the PNU candidate declared the by-election a war and battle of heart and soul to secure the Maasai birthright.
ODM leader Raila Odinga was at the crossroads. Key ODM luminaries William ole Ntimama and Joseph Nkaissery held a meeting with Odinga, telling him that between community and party, the former comes first.
Raila had little choice. The two ODM MPs campaigned for a PNU candidate. Internal Security Minister, who was from Kajiado North, George Saitoti, and immediate former Speaker of the National Assembly Francis ole Kaparo, who had lost to Kenneth Marende (ODM) and was keen to avenge, joined the community candidate.
Former National Assembly Speaker Francis ole Kaparo.
War drums were openly beaten as the powers that be watched. Kilgoris became one of the most ethnically charged parliamentary duels in Kenya’s history, making it extremely hard for Johana Ng’eno and his charged supporters to campaign. Isaac Ruto was reportedly hit and injured at some point.
On Election Day, the Maasai community ensured all votes counted, with leaders and community mobilisers getting out all the votes. Each homestead, a manyatta or modern homes, had a person standing outside the gate ensuring all those registered cast their votes. A cornered and outfoxed Ng’eno stood zero chance of clinching a seat which he already had one hand on it.
Having witnessed what transpired, the Grand Coalition Government of President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga began the process to address the ethnic animosity when Kibaki split Kilgoris into Trans Mara East District, given to the Kipsigis community, while the Maasai took Trans Mara West.
The Andrew Ligale boundary delimitation team created Emurua Dikirr Constituency from Trans Mara East and, come 2013, a rejuvenated, resilient and determined Ng’eno vied for the seat on the KNC party and won, retaining the seat in 2017 and 2022.
During his three-term tenure, the fallen MP has stood tall and unwavering in fighting for and defending his constituency, which he fought for through blood and sweat for its creation.
He was arrested uncountable countless times, largely while putting his life on the line for the people he led. When sharing a podium with current Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, the late legislator, while telling the former County Commissioner on a light note that having taken him through hell with nine arrests and that his day would come too, Natembeya corrected him, stating he was arrested 18 times, sending the crowds into laughter. True to his word, Governor Natembeya would later be arrested in Kitale.
His is a story of a rebel with a course cause, a man whose people always stood by him no matter which side of the law he stood. He is like the Biblical Moses who fought and led his people until they were let go and, after many years in political wilderness, delivered them to their Canaan, Emurua Dikirr, where they have their own milk and honey, literally.
Videos on social media show a leader who had way and a strong bond with his people. Some show him and his constituents dancing to scintillating music in local dialect with sticks raised in the air, singing their hearts out deep into the night. He was a greater great supporter of local artists.
On his last day before the fatal crash, he flew briefly to the banks of River Mararianta in Maasai Mara to condole a family that has had lost two family members, where the search for the bodies in the river continues. His massage message was that his people should take extreme care during this bad weather before flying to Endebess in Trans Nzoia County to support another local artiste, only to crash a few minutes later as he flew back home.
Ng’eno lives leaves behind a young family, having married in 2018 at the age of 45.
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