George Natembeya: Commotion as Police Raid Governor's Home in Trans Nzoia

• Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya's Milimani residence has been raided by detectives believed to be from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC)
• A huge number of supporters chanting anti-government slogans have arrived at Natembeya's home despite the heavy presence of anti-riot police officers
• Natembeya earlier hinted that he was being targeted by EACC over his firm stand against President William Ruto's administration

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Trans Nzoia – Heavily armed police officers have raided the home of Trans Nzoia governor George Natembaya.

Is George Natembeya's home being raided?

A contingent of uniformed and uninformed officers raided Natembeya’s Milimani home in Kitale for undisclosed reasons on Monday, May 19.

DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa is among the leaders who have arrived at Natembeya's residence amid the ongoing raid by the police and EACC officers

Wamalwa's arrival drew loud cheers from a growing crowd of supporters who gathered outside the premises in a show of solidarity.

Tension is building even as locals force their way into the compound, vowing not to let the governor be intimidated by the police.

Rowdy youths have deflated the tyres of five vehicles belonging to DCI, EACC officials camping at Natembeya's Kitale home.

TUKO.co.ke has witnessed growing numbers of supporters chanting anti-government slogans as more anti-riot police officers have been seen deployed to control supporters in Kitale town, and Milimani residence.

Why is George Natembeya being targeted?

Natembeya, through his social media, had called out threats by the DCI to search and arrest him, claiming it was politically guided to silence his stand on matters that are affecting the region.

"I am being threatened because of my stand on issues that are affecting our people, when i Say we are not benefiting from the national government its our right, when I say Nzoia sugar needed sufficient public participation thats our right, when I say national appointment are being done unfairly am not lying, they should tell me where is incitement here," said Natembeya

Natembeya further hinted that the move to use police to intimidate him was after the government unsuccessfully made attempts to impeach him.

Speaking at a church function in Kitale on Sunday, May 18, Trans Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang requested more police officers in today's operations, hinting that Natembeya had verbally uttered tribal remarks at various functions.

"We have leaders who now think they can utter tribal remarks. This is a cosmopolitan county and Mr. CS, I want to ask you to add more officers to help us with leaders who are inciting our people," Chesang said.

How Caleb Amisi defended Natembeya

Earlier, two Members of Parliament (MPs) from Western Kenya strongly defended the Trans Nzoia governor.

The county boss has, in the last few months, been facing political attacks from within and outside his county.

But according to Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga and his Saboti counterpart Caleb Amisi, individuals targeting Natembeya are out to intimidate him.

Kalasinga and Amisi, who were speaking separately in their rural homes, said they would not allow such disrespect to leaders who were elected and are loved by people.

What was Natembeya charged with?

The embattled Trans Nzoia governor is accused of benefiting from irregular procurement and fictitious transactions in the payment of KSh 1.4 billion to contractors.

The outspoken county boss allegedly used his authority to influence the allocation of tenders and, in turn, received kickbacks through proxies.

The projects that EACC listed as conduits of corruption and money laundering are: construction and modernisation of Kenyatta Stadium - Phase A1, construction of Trans Nzoia county headquarters and construction of Tom Mboya hospital.

Who are other suspects?

The commission listed four other suspects who allegedly abetted the corruption and benefited from it.

They include: Emmanuel Masungo (Chief Officer, Finance), Dorothy Nyukuri (Chief Officer, Water), Eliayah Liambula (Director Procurement), and Desmond Shivachi (contractor and suspected governor's proxy).

The five are being detained at the EACC offices in Nairobi pending arraignment.

After conducting a search a the governor's residences and offices, the commission said it had received relevant evidence to help in prosecuting the governor and his co-accused.

Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke