Governor Natembeya dares police to arrest him as row with President Ruto escalates

The battle over development projects in Trans Nzoia County between President William Ruto and Governor George Natembeya escalated on Saturday, after the county boss dismissed the launch of the newly constructed Masinde Muliro market in Kitale by the Head of State.

Natembeya has vowed to storm the market, relaunch it and allocate stalls to traders who had previously been assigned spaces.

Accusing President Ruto of taking credit for county projects during his visit to the region, Governor Natembeya said he would not be intimidated by threats to his security and dared police to arrest him when he visits the market and the hospital under construction on Monday.

"Watu wangu wacha niwaambie, mimi siku yangu labda ya mwisho itakuwa jumatatu maana jumatatu naenda kupambana na serikali kuu, wacha wakuje na bunduki na bomu lakini mimi naingiza wakazi wa Trans Nzoia ndani ya soko, yeye kuleta wasebei kutoka Uganda anawaleta kwa soko hatutakubali,” said Natembeya.

Another point of contention is the construction of the new Kitale Level 5 Hospital on the site of the former Kitale District Hospital, a project that has been handed over to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

Governor Natembeya says he will challenge the construction, arguing that the project is being undertaken on county land without the involvement of the county government.

"Naambia rais tafadhali tuheshimu katiba, kazi ya gavana wacha ibaki kazi ya gavana, kuna miradi mingi anafaa kufanya na hajafanya. Hii ni squabble kati ya Natembeya na Ruto, hawa waachane kuingilia civilian squabbles maana wakitake sides mimi jumatatu nitaenda kwa hiyo hospitali nione vile wanavunja hiyo hospitali nijue hospitali inalinda wananchi ama mtu mmoja mwenye anakuja kukanyaga watu, we have to read the law,” he said.

Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility on Friday, President Ruto committed Ksh.1 billion to the project, saying it would expand access to quality healthcare in the region.

“Mimi nataka kuwaambia wenzangu, kila kiongozi awajibike bwana, kila kiongozi awajibike…vile nilikuja nikaskia mambo ya Shakahola nimekuja na shilingi bilioni moja kuwajengea hospitali ya level 5,” Ruto said then.

Alluding to what he claims is a plot to arrest or harm him for standing up to President Ruto, Natembeya - whose convoy, accompanied by The Equitable Party (TEP) leader Edwin Sifuna, came under attack on Friday evening in Kitale Town after encountering the presidential convoy – said he will not be silenced in his quest to champion the interests of Trans Nzoia residents.

"Mimi mkitaka kunishika kwa sababu ya maswala ya watu wangu niko tayari, hata amechelewa. Wajue kwamba every crime must be proved, we are beyond detention without trial, hutaenda kuniwekea makosa kwa sababu nimechanua watu wangu wamesema ni wantam, hata ukinishika mimi wantam ni injili kama yesu,” said Natembeya.

The escalating war of words between Governor Natembeya and President Ruto has seen his security detail withdrawn.

His bodyguards were recalled back to their stations on Wednesday after the Governor addressed a gathering in Kiminini where he criticised the government.

President Ruto had earlier addressed the same gathering, where he accused the Governor of obstructing national government projects in the region.