President William Ruto has explained why he appointed the late Emurua Dikirr MP Johanna Ng’eno as the Chair of the Housing and Public Works Committee in the National Assembly.

While visiting the family of the late MP in Karen on Monday, March 2, 2026, the Head of State, while paying his condolences, began by hailing the contributions Ng’eno made, which saw affordable housing programmes sprout across the country despite opposition.

He stated that when appointments to various committees were being made, he chose the third-term lawmaker because he knew that if persuaded, Ng’eno would deliver effectively.

“When I was going through people who would chair different committees, I settled on Ngeno because I knew when I persuaded him to do it, he would do it, and there will be no looking back,” Ruto stated.

Ruto added that after rolling out the affordable housing programmes, which he considers to be the most critical programmes he has initiated during his administration, many leaders came to him urging him to stop, warning that it would make him unpopular.

However, according to Ruto, Ng’eno, as the parliamentary committee chair implementing the housing programme, never discouraged him. Instead, Ng’eno would always urge the president to continue, insisting it was the right course of action.

“Many people came to me saying that, Mr President, you should drop this thing; it’s very difficult, and it will make you unpopular, but out of all the people, Ng’eno was not among them.”

Housing committee

The president further extended his gratitude to the members of the Housing Committee, who were led by Ng’eno, noting that when he eventually sits down to write his memoirs, a chapter will be reserved for them.

During the president’s visit to the home of the late Karen, he eulogised the late, stating.

“Mheshimiwa, you did your best. You contributed to the welfare of the community, the nation and humanity. Condoled with the family of my friend, the late Mheshimiwa Johana Ng’eno, at their Karen home. May we draw comfort from the word of the Lord in Psalm 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

The visit comes a day after the crash that claimed Ng’eno’s life alongside five others in Mosop Sub‑County, Nandi County, on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

Burial preps

This also comes at a time when the remains of the late MP and five others who were aboard the helicopter at the point of the crash are resting at Lee Funeral Home after being repatriated from the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), where they were temporarily preserved following evacuation from the accident scene.

Funeral and burial arrangements for the late MP are in full swing. The National Assembly Speaker formed a 10-member committee led by Tindiret MP Julius Meli, assisted by Buuri MP Mugambi Rindikiri and eight others, to liaise with the late MP’s family regarding the burial arrangements.

President William Ruto himself has also paid a condolence visit to the family of the late in Karen to offer his tribute