NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 6 — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has delivered a blistering tribute to the late Johanna Ng’eno, declaring that “your tormentors are shedding crocodile tears” as political tensions surface ahead of the burial of the outspoken legislator.In a sharply worded message, Gachagua accused unnamed political rivals of persecuting the Emurua Dikirr MP during his lifetime only to now pretend to mourn him following his tragic death.The tone of the tribute echoed the confrontational style once employed by South African opposition leader Julius Malema during the funeral of anti-apartheid icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, casting Ng’eno as a fearless defender of his people who paid a political price for speaking out.“Your tormentors who hunted you like an antelope are now shamelessly shedding crocodile tears,” Gachagua said on Friday. “They persecuted you in life and now pretend to love you in death.”Ng’eno died on Saturday alongside five others when a helicopter crashed in Chepkiep area within Mosop Constituency in Nandi County, bringing a sudden end to a day of engagements that had taken him across several counties.According to Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, the Eurocopter AS350 helicopter, registration 5Y-DSB, had departed Wilson Airport in Nairobi before making multiple stops in Narok, Trans Nzoia and Uasin Gishu counties.Timeline of Johanna Ngeno’s final flight before fatal Nandi helicopter crashThe aircraft’s final confirmed landing was at Tabolwa in Nandi County at 4.20pm. It took off again five minutes later, but air traffic controllers lost contact with the helicopter at about 4.26pm moments after departure. Among those who died were Ng’eno, retired Colonel George Were who was piloting the aircraft, forest ranger Amos Kimwetich Rotich, the MP’s cameraman Nicholas Kosgei, teacher Robert Kipkoech Keter and Narok County protocol officer Wycliffe Kiprotich Rono.A postmortem conducted by government pathologist Johansen Oduor confirmed that the victims died from multiple traumatic injuries and severe burns sustained in the crash.“Upon examining the bodies, we observed multiple injuries ranging from head injuries, chest injuries to spinal injuries,” Oduor said, adding that the victims also suffered varying degrees of burns.The examinations positively identified all six bodies, paving the way for burial arrangements as investigators continue to piece together what caused the aircraft to disappear from radar.The investigation is being led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department under international aviation standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, with authorities expected to release a preliminary report within 30 days.But as investigators focus on the technical causes of the crash, Gachagua has sustained attacked on President William Ruto’s government for what he described as the political battles Ng’eno endured during his lifetime.The former Deputy President described the legislator as a “great friend, confidant and political soul mate” who remained steadfast in defending the interests of the Kipsigis community.“He taught me to be unashamed of defending the interests of one’s community. Who doesn’t have an origin?” Gachagua said.He claimed Ng’eno had faced political isolation and humiliation for championing his community’s concerns, including alleged attempts to block him from accessing State House Nairobi by powerful political figures.Gachagua said he had intervened on several occasions to shield Ng’eno from further humiliation and stood with him when there were attempts to block his leadership of the National Assembly’s Housing Committee.The DCP leader said he would not attend the burial, saying his principles would not allow him to sit alongside those he accuses of tormenting the late MP.“I would have wanted to come and bury you, but my principles cannot allow me to sit with those who persecuted you in life as they pretend to mourn you in death,” he said.Ng’eno leaves behind a young family and supporters across Emurua Dikirr and the wider Kipsigis community, many of whom remember him as a combative legislator who rarely shied away from political confrontation.Gachagua urged the community to remain strong following what he described as the loss of a political kingpin.