DCP Party Leader and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has boldly declared he will skip the funeral of late Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng'eno, launching a scathing attack on government officials he accuses of shedding "crocodile tears."

In a politically charged tribute that has sent shockwaves through the Rift Valley, Rigathi Gachagua announced his deliberate boycott of Hon. Johana Ng'eno's burial. Gachagua characterized his absence as a principled stand against the alleged tormentors of the late legislator.

This public denunciation exposes the deep, unhealed fractures within Kenya's political elite. By weaponizing a solemn state occasion to highlight past political persecutions, Gachagua is actively consolidating his anti-establishment base and framing the current administration as inherently duplicitous regarding the Kipsigis community.

A Fiery Digital Tribute

Taking to the social platform X, Gachagua penned a highly emotional eulogy, describing Ng'eno as a "great friend, confidant, and political soul mate." He lauded the fallen MP as a brave and focused leader who fearlessly championed the interests of the marginalized Kipsigis community. However, the tribute quickly pivoted to a fierce political indictment.

Gachagua alleged that powerful figures within the government had systematically isolated and humiliated Ng'eno during his tenure. He claimed personal intervention was often required to shield the MP from political attacks, including alleged attempts to strip him of his chairmanship of the National Assembly's Housing Committee.

The Politics of Grief

The decision to skip a state-sponsored funeral of a close ally is a massive political statement in Kenya, where burials serve as primary arenas for power projection. Gachagua's absence is a calculated maneuver to delegitimize the mourning of his political rivals.

• The Accusation: Gachagua stated his principles forbid him from sitting with those who "persecuted you in life as they pretend to mourn you in death."
• Community Appeal: He directly addressed the "orphaned Kipsigis community," positioning himself as their empathetic defender against state marginalization.
• Security Parallels: This boycott mirrors his recent absence from Raila Odinga's funeral, which he controversially attributed to alleged state-sponsored assassination plots.

As investigators pore over the technical details of the Mosop helicopter crash that claimed Ng'eno's life, the political fallout continues to dominate the national discourse. The tragedy has become a proxy battleground for the ongoing supremacy war between Gachagua's DCP faction and President Ruto's administration.

A Legacy Politicized

Johana Ng'eno leaves behind a complex legacy as a combative and unyielding grassroots mobilizer. His tragic death, rather than uniting the political class, has provided fresh ammunition for systemic grievances.

"I am abhorred by the hypocrisy of your tormentors... Rest in peace, my friend, the hero of our time, until we meet again," Gachagua concluded, ensuring the political fires will burn long after the burial.