Patrick Ole Ntutu, the Governor of Narok County, has shared how the late Johanna Ngeno, the former Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament, ended up marrying his niece Naiyanoi Ntutu.
Speaking during Ngeno’s burial, Ntutu lightened the sombre mood by narrating how he and others had repeatedly pressured the legislator to get married, only for him to eventually choose a partner from his own family.
According to the governor, he first met Ngeno in Kilgoris in 2011 when both were preparing to enter elective politics.
“Johana was my friend and son-in-law. There are three things I remember him for. I first met him in Kilgoris in 2011. He told me he was going to run for a seat in Emurua Dikirr if they got a constituency, and I told him I would be running for the Narok West seat,” Ntutu recalled.
He said that after they were elected in the 2013 Kenyan General Election, they worked closely as neighbouring leaders. Ntutu added that Ngeno frequently hosted him at his mother’s home whenever they visited the area.
However, he often teased the MP about his bachelor status.
“One day I asked him when we would ever go to his wife’s house and he said he was still searching. I told him he was late,” Ntutu said.
Decision to Marry in Ntutu’s Family
Ntutu revealed that after the 2013 elections, Ngeno later approached him with what he described as “good news.”
According to the governor, the MP told him he had decided to marry within Ntutu’s family after being repeatedly urged to settle down.
“He told me, ‘I will marry in your family because you have been pressuring me to marry. Now I will marry in your home,’” Ntutu said.
The governor responded by telling him that his family had many daughters to choose from and jokingly told him to take his time.
Eventually, Ngeno married Naiyanoi Ntutu in 2018. At the time, the late MP was 45 years old while his bride was 21.
Family and Legacy
Ntutu said he was grateful that the couple built a family together and were blessed with two daughters.
He also assured Ngeno’s family that his niece would continue to be recognised as the late MP’s wife in line with African cultural traditions.
“Even if Ng’eno is gone, she will continue being his wife until God reunites us,” the governor said.
The late MP died recently following a helicopter crash that claimed six lives, bringing to an end the career of a politician widely known for his outspoken leadership.
