Families of the victims who died in the Nandi helicopter crash are still struggling to come to terms with the heartbreaking incident.
The accident occurred on Saturday afternoon, February 28, killing six people, including Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament (MP) Johana Ng’eno.
Among the victims was Robert Keter, popularly known as Mwalimu Carlos, who perished in the ill-fated chopper.
A sombre mood engulfed Chengina village in Emurua Dikirr constituency following the death of their kin, leaving residents in profound grief.
“My child is gone. He has left me. He has left me without knowing,” Carlos’s mother, Grace Mutai, said inconsolably, her pain evident as she mourned her son.
She emotionally recounted her last conversation with him, which took place during breakfast, now the only memory she clings to.
“He told me he wanted to build a house. That morning, we called a lumberjack who came and began cutting trees. Carlos then said he had received a call from the late Honourable Johana. He excused himself and left the lumberjack to continue working. He said he would be back to proceed with the house-building project,” Mutai said.
That marked the last time she saw her son and the final promise he made to her.
He left to join Johana, who had requested his presence for a trip that tragically ended in disaster.
Carlos was also scheduled to collect his Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employment letter after years of waiting.
“That morning, I had tea with him before he received a message from MP Johana asking him to accompany him on the journey. He told me he was going to Narok to pick up his employment letter,” Mutai narrated tearfully.
Carlos’s death deeply affected his sister, who could not hold back her tears as she spoke about her brother, whom she would never see again.
Happiness Chepkorir was devastated that she had not fulfilled her brother’s final request.
“Around 11:45 pm, my brother called and said they had arrived. He mentioned that the weather did not look good. He asked me to send him KSh 1,000, promising to refund it once he returned home. I told him I only had cash at the time but would go to an M-Pesa agent and send the money,” she said emotionally.
Mutai was shattered that Carlos’s plans would never materialise after his sudden death, as tears streamed down her face.
She added that they used to discuss many things together, but in her grief, she could hardly recall them.
