NAROK, Kenya — Roads leading to Emurua Dikirr Primary School in Narok County, the venue for the funeral service of the late Member of Parliament Johana Ngeno and four others, were rendered nearly impassable on Friday after heavy rains triggered flooding in parts of the region.
Videos seen by Y News showed vehicles struggling to navigate through large pools of water that had formed along sections of the road leading to the ceremony.
In the footage, a convoy of vehicles — including several Toyota Prado sport utility vehicles — was seen moving cautiously through the flooded stretches as water flowed across the roadway. Some motorists attempted to cross a partially submerged bridge while others slowed down to assess the safest route.
Dozens of residents gathered along the roadside watching the convoy as it carefully manoeuvred through the swollen waters. At one point, a man was seen wading through the floodwater as vehicles passed.
The flooding follows days of heavy rainfall reported in several parts of the country, which have left a number of rural roads difficult to access.
Authorities had expected hundreds of mourners and leaders from across the country to attend the funeral service at Emurua Dikirr Primary School.
The ceremony will also honour four other victims who died alongside the MP in the tragic aircraft crash.
They include Wycliffe Rono, the MP’s close aide; Amos Rotich of the Kenya Forest Service; Nicholas Kosgei, who served as the MP’s cameraman; and Robert Keter, a teacher.
Ngeno died on February 28 when the aircraft he was travelling in crashed in Nandi County while returning from an event in Endebess.
The accident claimed the lives of the MP and four members of his team.
In the days following the tragedy, political leaders and residents from across the South Rift region held an emotional memorial service to honour the late legislator.
Speakers at the ceremony described Ngeno as a committed public servant and a vocal defender of the interests of his constituents in Narok County.
Several leaders recalled his role as a grassroots mobiliser whose leadership style resonated strongly with local communities.
They also paid tribute to the other victims of the crash, noting their service in supporting the MP’s work and community engagements.
Following the memorial service earlier in the week, the bodies of Ngeno and his aide Wycliffe Rono were transported to their respective homes for an overnight vigil.
The vigil was conducted in accordance with Kipsigis cultural traditions, which allow family members, neighbours and community members to pay their final respects before burial.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the other three victims — Kosgei, Rotich and Keter — were transferred to Kilgoris Referral Hospital mortuary.
Local leaders have called for improvements in rural road infrastructure in flood-prone areas, noting that heavy rains often disrupt access to key public events and essential services.
Despite the difficult conditions caused by the flooding, mourners continued arriving in the area on Friday morning to pay their final respects to the late MP and his aides.
