Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has expressed continued suspicion over the death of Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno.
Ng’eno died in a helicopter crash in Nandi County on Saturday, February 28.
The Eurocopter 350 (5Y-DSB) was traveling from Trans Nzoia to Narok when it went down in Chepkiep Forest, Nandi North, claiming the lives of all six people on board.
Gachagua Questions Foul Play in the Death of Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno. Photo: Courtesy.
Speaking at a church service in Nyandarua County on Sunday, March 1, Gachagua suggested the crash may not have been accidental.
This contradicts eyewitness accounts at the scene, which attributed the crash to adverse weather conditions.
Gachagua claimed that Ng’eno had made many political enemies after emerging as a potential leader of the Kipsigis sub-tribe within the larger Kalenjin community.
The former deputy president, who described himself as close to Ng’eno, pointed to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot as key figures who had opposed the late lawmaker.
He suggested that Ng’eno had faced sustained political pressure from these leaders, reflecting the broader challenges the Kipsigis community has historically faced when new leadership emerges.
Gachagua emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind Ng’eno’s death.
Gachagua argued that any investigation into Ng’eno’s death could not be impartial while Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen remained in office.
He said that both the late politician’s family and the wider Kenyan public would have confidence in the probe if it were conducted by independent or foreign agencies.
As an example, Gachagua suggested involving the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the United Kingdom’s Scotland Yard to ensure a thorough and unbiased examination of the helicopter crash that claimed Ng’eno’s life.
Johana Ng’eno was among six individuals aboard the helicopter when it went down in Nandi Hills.
Ng’eno was serving his third consecutive term as the Member of Parliament for Emurua Dikirr Constituency, first elected in 2013.
