NG'ENO'S WIDOW LANDS STATE JOB

Naiyanoi Ntutu, the widow of the late Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno, has been appointed to the board of the Information and Communications Technology Authority (ICTA).

Her appointment was confirmed through a Gazette Notice issued by William Kabogo, the Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy. Ntutu will serve a three-year term effective April 2, 2026, in line with provisions of the ICTA Order, 2013.

With a background in law, Ntutu sets to step into a key governance role within the state agency tasked with driving Kenya’s digital transformation agenda, including the expansion of e-government services and strengthening national digital infrastructure. ICTA Board Chair Lily Ng’ok welcomed her appointment, expressing confidence in her ability to contribute to the authority’s mandate.

Ntutu has previously been active in community and legal advocacy, particularly around women’s rights, access to justice, and mentorship for girls. Her work has largely been concentrated in Narok County and Emurua Dikirr, where she has supported grassroots initiatives aimed at empowering women through legal awareness.

Her appointment comes against the backdrop of political developments in Emurua Dikirr following the death of her husband on February 28, 2026. Ng’eno, a three-term MP and the constituency’s first legislator since its creation in 2013, died in a helicopter crash at Chepkiyech village in Mosop Constituency, Nandi County. The accident claimed six lives, including those of pilot George Were, photojournalist Nick Kosgei, Kenya Forest Service officer Amos Kipngetich Rotich, teacher Carlos Robert Kibet Keter, and protocol officer Wycliff Kiprotich Rono.

In the immediate aftermath of his death, Ntutu had been seen as a frontrunner to succeed him in the upcoming by-election and had even received backing from the family. However, she later withdrew from the race, citing ill health and the emotional toll of bereavement.
Following her withdrawal, political alignments in the constituency shifted, with allies of the late MP rallying behind former aide Bernard Ngeno, even as businessman David Kipsang Keter clinched the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket in a tightly contested primary.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has scheduled the Emurua Dikirr by-election for May 14, 2026. The constituency, which comprises Ilkerin, Mogondo, Kapsasian and Ololmasani wards, has over 44,000 registered voters across 94 polling stations.

Despite stepping away from elective politics, Ntutu has maintained a visible presence in the constituency. On April 1, she made her first public appearance since the funeral, visiting victims of a road accident in Bomet County before addressing residents at Emurua Dikirr trading centre, where she thanked them for their support during her family’s loss.

Her appointment to ICTA now places her at the centre of national policy implementation in the digital space, while also ensuring her continued engagement in public affairs beyond elective politics.