Emurua Dikirr MP’s mother recalls last prayer before crash

Mama Mary narrated how the legislator had visited her home shortly before departing and asked her to pray for him.

Speaking in an emotional tribute during the funeral service in Dikirr, Mama Mary told mourners that as she began praying for her son and the nation, the helicopter that was to pick him up arrived, interrupting the quiet moment of prayer.

“I was praying for him just like I always do. As I was finishing the prayer, the helicopter that had come to pick him arrived,” she said.

Mama Mary recalled asking her son why he had requested the prayer, yet the aircraft was already on its way.

“I asked him, ‘So when you asked me to pray, the helicopter was already coming? It has interrupted our prayer.’ He told me, ‘Yes, it was already on its way, but it is good because God has heard our prayer,’” she said.

She added that despite the noise from the helicopter, she assured him that God had still heard the prayer.

“I told him God has heard it even with the noise because after all I was praying to God, not to human beings,” she said.

The elderly mother said she never imagined that the prayer would be the last moment she would share with her son before tragedy struck.

Her remarks captured the deep grief that has engulfed the family and the wider community following the death of the legislator in the helicopter crash that claimed six lives.

During the service, Mama Mary also made a passionate appeal to President William Ruto to ensure that the parliamentary seat previously held by her son remains within the family.

She said the late MP had devoted himself to uplifting the people of Emurua Dikirr and had helped educate many children from needy families.

“My son educated many children and helped many people. I want someone to continue with that work,” she said.

In an emotional plea directed at the President, she said she was ready to present any of her family members for consideration to succeed the late MP.

“I will give you all my children, and you will choose whom you want to give the seat. The seat should not go out of our family,” she said.

President William Ruto was among national and local leaders who attended the funeral service, joining thousands of residents in paying their final respects to the late legislator.