Natembeya: I’m ready for Ruto seat since our Western leaders have failed

His name has been cropping up in discussions about how to edge out President William Ruto in 2027.

In his home county of Trans Nzoia, murmurs have been doing rounds about whether George Natembeya will concentrate on winning a second term or move to national politics.

Even before joining politics, the man in uniform ruffled feathers as the Regional Commissioner, Rift Valley. With his strong language, he made many admirers as well as enemies.

And as the realignments ahead of the next General Election take shape, some have linked him to the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has more than once urged Natembeya on.

“My dear brother Governor Natembeya, please do not let the court poets and masters of platitude distract you from the work you are doing of delivering to the people of Trans-Nzoia County,” Gachagua wrote on X. “These Court Jesters are on the misguided assignment of providing comic relief to their master. And do not be cowed from speaking out on behalf of the people of Kenya when necessary.”

Could Natembeya be laying ground for a big seat? In an interview with The Standard, the governor spells out his vision for Trans Nzoia, and his ambition in the national politiccs.

Question: As your term draws close to an end, are you confident you will fulfill your promises or are you seeking a second term?

Answer: I am sure we are going to achieve everything we promised. We have already started working on them, and in the fullness of time, we are going to achieve it all.

And the fact that you have done what you promised to do in five years does not necessarily mean now you can’t seek a second term. There are many other things that we can still do for our people.

We are working to ensure that resources are devolved further. We want to ensure that we develop local entrepreneurs.

What is your interest in national politics?

What happens at the national level affects people at the county level. Therefore, any Governor who is aloof or insensitive to the issues happening at the national level is not fit for the job.

I comment on issues that I think, if done well, can improve the welfare of the counties where all Kenyans live.

Your name is being floated in opposition coalitions. What’s your take?

We’re not forming an opposition coalition, we’re forming a coalition to take over power in 2027.

The level of Governor should be a breeding ground for people to aspire for national leadership. I believe Governors are in better state to run the affairs of the country than typical politicians who believe in giving promises and lying to the people. If my name is being floated for presidency, I believe it is because of the things I am doing here.

So you will vie for the presidency?

Why not? I’m a politician and every politician is ambitious. For Mudavadi and Wetangula to take on President Ruto, it will appear as though they are betraying him. Let them enjoy their time, but for the sake of the community, we have to go beyond their interests.

I earn the same salary as the Prime Cabinet Secretary and can also choose to keep quiet and enjoy the status of Governor, but I choose to speak for the people. For them, they are protecting that payslip.

There is talk for coalitions, like the Uhuru-Matiangi and Gachagua-Kalonzo alliance. Where do you belong?

I’m not even aware of those arrangements. I think those are just potential candidates for presidency. In any case, I don’t need to form a political alliance to go for the presidency.

I come from the Luhya community that is politically insignificant because of the way we have organised our politics. In 2027, for someone to want to have dialogue with the community, it is going to be a very structured dialogue and through a Luhya leader. I believe we are strong enough to negotiate on our own behalf. Anybody that will be leading the community will be looking for an alliance and partnership and not allegiance.

I want to go on record that for fairness and for justice to be seen, the next President should be Luhya.

Kenyans are starting to believe that for you to be President, you must be Kikuyu or Kalenjin, but we want to break that belief.

Word has it that you are exemplifying the narrative that Luhya leaders always fight each other. Is that true?

Leaders fight for Luhya unity to propel themselves to power. Those who have had an opportunity to lead the community have not transformed the lives of the people.

I’m not fighting individuals, but I’m fighting the status quo. Those individuals benefiting from the status quo want to make appear like I’m fighting them. I do not have any personal differences with those two guys -National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.

But I believe time has come for them to exit the political stage and let others who understand where the community wants to go to take the lead. They can play an advisory role.

What is your grudge against Mudavadi and Wetang’ula?

Like I said, I have nothing personal against them, but they have prevented the community from ascending to power.

Why are they not going to vie for the presidency? Because they are beholden to the system and status quo. The problem they have with me is that I’m reminding them that our destiny cannot be defined by their personal interests.

What do you consider the biggest mistake of the Ruto administration?

The removal of the vetting for IDs. I understand from experience that this thing is going to cause problems. It has got very severe implications on national security. It is a terrible one because it is not providing an alternative for the vetting process. If this is not reversed, the number of foreigners in Kenya will be high in five years.

You have been making some bold utterances in the presence of the president, like in the case of abductions. What gives you this confidence?

I did not get a memo that the President should not be addressed directly. My utterances at the funeral on the issue of abductions was merely a response to the lies that were being floated around that Kenyans were abducting themselves. Nobody is behind me, they can check. The problem with this government is that sometimes they say things as if they don’t have the National Intelligence Service.

For instance, what Kimani Ichung’wah said in Bungoma demonstrated someone with tools of state but doesn’t know how to use them. If you say that I’m a project of Gachagua, for instance, can you demonstrate any point where Gachagua and I met? The government should know.

What do you say about Ichung’wah’s accusation that you orchestrated abductions and extrajudicial killings during the Jubilee government?

I dismissed the fellow as a joker for blatantly lying. It was ignorant of him to accuse a regional commissioner of orchestrating abductions and killings in a government where the sitting president was a deputy president. Doesn’t he see the connection?

Are you Uhuru or Gachagua’s voice in Western?

I’m the voice of the people of Western Kenya, the voice we want to push to the negotiating table of national resources. Gachagua has not told me to be his pointman. I have my own agenda for Western Kenya.

Uhuru was my boss and funded my campaign for governorship. I had nothing. That guy funded me from day one, and I will be forever grateful, but we have not discussed future politics.

Uhuru never yelled at me. He was more reachable than my PS and CS.

Gachagua was a colleague in government who was ahead of me. Being Uhuru’s personal assistant, sometimes our paths would cross when I was District Commissioner in Murang’a. Those who have problems with Rigathi, let them keep the problems to themselves. You cannot choose friends for me.