Murkomen Blasts Gachagua Over Claims on Johana Ngeno Chopper Crash: “Hopeless, Despicable Human Being”
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen. Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has launched a blistering attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of exploiting the deaths of prominent Kenyans to revive his failed political career.
In a strongly worded statement released on Monday, Murkomen termed Gachagua a “hopeless, helpless and despicable human being” after the former DP claimed that the chopper that killed former Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno had been fueled with adulterated fuel.
“Rigathi Gachagua, you are a hopeless, helpless and despicable human being. One who will exploit anything under the sun to resuscitate a failed political career. As it now seems, you’re clinging on the unfortunate deaths of H.E Raila Odinga, Gen. Francis Ogolla and Hon. Johanna Ng’eno among others,” Murkomen said.
Gachagua had recently alleged that there was foul play in the plane crash that killed Ngeno, claiming that the jet fuel used was adulterated and that an unusual vehicle carrying the fuel and its driver had been briefly arrested by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials.
But Murkomen dismissed the claims as fabricated, irresponsible and insensitive to the grieving family.
“You’ve made it your business to fight me for relevance. I can live with that, as a holder of public office. But using death of Hon. Ng’eno to score cheap political attention ahead of your visit to Emurua-Dikirr is both pathetic and unfortunate,” he said.
The CS said Ngeno passed away more than five months ago and his family and friends are still grieving and trying to come to terms with his sudden death. He noted that the preliminary cause of the crash was bad weather, a fact corroborated by residents of Chepkiep in Nandi County where the pilot made an emergency landing to assess weather conditions.
“So let me ask you plainly: Mr. Gachagua, where have you been all this time? You have never called Ng’eno’s family. You have never visited to condole with them. Not once. Yet you want Kenyans to believe you were ‘his friend’? Nothing can be further from the truth,” Murkomen posed.
Murkomen challenged Gachagua to provide evidence to investigative agencies instead of peddling conspiracy theories at political rallies.
“The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration has absolutely no oversight over supply of fuel, and does not supervise air transport. You know this, yet you still rush to drag my name ostensibly to gain political traction in Rift Valley,” he said.
“You claim you have intelligence about an ‘unusual car’ that allegedly carried the jet fuel and about a driver who was briefly arrested by KRA officials. Mr. Rigathi, why don’t you make their names public? Why are you protecting them? Why not hand over identities and statements to the investigators, or record a proper statement with the DCI? The answer is simple: this is made-up, cooked-up nonsense meant for political mischief,” Murkomen added.
The Interior CS further accused Gachagua of insensitivity, recalling that he had announced Ngeno’s death at a political rally before the family was officially informed.
“Your callousness and attempt to use unfortunate deaths of Hon. Raila, Gen. Ogola and Hon. Ngeno for political mileage is insensitive, irresponsible and shameful. You must remember that you carelessly announced the death of Hon. Ngeno in a political rally before the family was informed and you continue to torment them with these wild allegations,” he said.
Murkomen vowed that attempts to distract Kenyans will not succeed, saying he will continue protecting lives and property with unwavering resolve against what he termed as Gachagua’s desire for instability and anarchy.
“Your attempt to distract Kenyans from your own disgraceful and criminal enterprise will not work. I will continue protecting the lives and property of Kenyans with unwavering resolve and dedication against your wicked desire for instability, destruction and anarchy,” he concluded.
The exchange comes amid heightened political tension as Gachagua intensifies his tours in Rift Valley to popularize his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).
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