Requiem mass for chopper crash victims held

The requiem mass of six Nandi chopper victims at the Africa Gospel Church, Karen. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The joint requiem mass for six victims of the Nandi chopper crash took place at the Karen Africa Gospel Church on Wednesday, March 4.

The helicopter that crashed in Mosop on Saturday February 28, claimed the lives of Emurua Dikir MP Johana Ng’eno, Captain George Were, Wycliffe Ronoh, Robert Keter, Nicholas Koskei and Amos Rotich.

Present at the mass were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, Defence CS Soipan Tuya, Transport CS Davis Chirchir, Tourism CS Rebecca Miaono, Interior PS Raymond Omollo, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and his Narok counterpart Patrick Ole Ntutu.

Also, present were Speakers Moses Wetangula and Amason Kingi, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruyiot and other members of Parliament and Senate.

Ng’eno’s wife Naiyanoi Ng’eno described him as a loving husband and father to their two daughters, Taparon Cheruto and Chesang Ng’eno.

“You are the love my early days when everything was still soft and carried possibility.

We were young learning life together and somehow you made it all feel less frightening and beautiful,” she told mourners

“And the way you loved your children…you adored them, you held them with pride you played with them, you looked at them like they were your greatest accomplishment. In their eyes you were their hero, in mine you were a gentle devoted father with the biggest hearts.”

The late MP will be buried in his Mogodo home at the Emurua Dikir constituency on Friday, March 6.

“It [death] cannot erase the love, memories, family we created, you’ll always be my Joha. Rest gently my love, you’re forever part of me,” said Naiyanoi.

Lydia Ronoh the spouse of Ronoh had a tribute read out by a family member.

She described him as not only the love of her life but a devoted father to their four children; Aisha Chepngeno, Tasha Chepkurui, Dylan Kiprop and Sasha Chepngetich.

“To our children, you father loved you more, he was proud of each one of you and always spoke about the future with hope and excitement,” said the tribute.

In the tribute, the wife said that even though their father was no longer there to guide them in person, the lessons he taught them would.

The late Ronoh worked at the Narok County Government as a protocol officer and will be buried on March 6 in Emurua Dikir.

Betty Bett on behalf of the family of journalist Koskei described him as a hardworking individual.

“Nick was just a young and ambitious person and he was very industrious in his work that he did,” she said.

She said that his hard work had been recognized by late Emurua Dikir MP Johana Ng’eno who employed him as his photographer, where he worked for slightly over a year.

He will be buried on March 7 in Bomet County.

The family of teacher Keter described him as a loving individual who was humble and devote to the family.

“He was taken from us when his star had not yet had a chance to shine leaving behind so many unanswered questions and so much unspoken love,” said Kilelson Mutai.

Ivy Cherono, Keter’s brother’s, read their father’s tribute who said that his son will remain in his heart and prayers.

The family of Rotich described his death as unfortunate since he was his family’s breadwinner a role he played for the last 16 months he worked with the Kenya Forest Service.

Richard Chepkwony, a family member, said that he was promising, humble, disciplined and a friend to many.

He said that Rotich tried to jump from the ill-fated helicopter and when responders reached the accident scene he was still alive and he reportedly asked about Ng’eno’s fate.

The family of Pilot Were did not participate in reading their tributes.

Buuri MP Mugambi Rindikiri who is the vice chairperson of the Parliamentary committee planning his burial did that during their departmental sitting at the Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works Committee the late MP brought unity regardless of their political alignments.

“He chose collaboration, he led with fairness, firmness and grace,” said Rindikiri.

According to the Rindikiri, the late Ng’eno raised the bar of what affordable housing is saying he told tome to listen to his members and the needs of their constituents to make affordable housing a reality.

The chairperson of the Parliamentary committee planning his burial Julius Melly described him as a fighter even if he was alone.