President William Ruto’s allies in Trans Nzoia have turned up the heat on Governor George Natembeya, challenging him over an escalating battle for political credit and control of development projects in the county.
Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UN-Habitat Dr Susan Nakhumicha and Woman Representative Lilian Siyoi accused the governor of allowing political rivalry to overshadow investments in roads, healthcare, education and electricity connectivity.
Nakhumicha traced the Kitale modern market project to 2018, when Trans Nzoia received approximately Sh830 million under the World Bank-backed Kenya Urban Support Programme during former Governor Patrick Khaemba’s administration.
“The market was about 95 per cent complete when the programme’s first phase ended. The President later committed Sh100 million towards completing it, while the county was expected to contribute Sh40 million,” Nakhumicha said.
She maintained that the national government subsequently undertook the outstanding works through the relevant State Department, challenging the county to produce documentary evidence of its contribution.
Nakhumicha also defended Ruto’s Sh320 million commitment to the Endebess Mother and Child Hospital and plans for a Sh1 billion referral hospital, saying the investments would strengthen healthcare services.
She cited an affordable housing project valued at approximately Sh2.5 billion and a completed tuition block at the Kenya Medical Training College in Kitale as further evidence of national government investment.
Siyoi reinforced the President’s development record, citing the Sh1.6 billion Saboti–Gitwamba Road, the Sh1.1 billion Matumbei Road and Sh24 million allocated to connect 352 households in Kiminini and Cherang’any to electricity.
She challenged critics to allow contractors to complete the projects before dismissing their impact.
“It is premature for anyone to dismiss these projects before implementation is complete,” she said.
The two leaders accused Natembeya of turning development into a political contest, insisting that residents stood to lose when rivalry between the national and county governments undermined cooperation.
Nakhumicha cited Siaya Governor James Orengo, a known Ruto critic, as an example of a leader who could engage the President despite political differences.
She insisted that Natembeya did not have to support Ruto politically but should respect the presidency and cooperate on development.
“We are not asking Governor Natembeya to support William Ruto as an individual or to abandon his political interests. Our appeal is that political differences should not prevent the people of Trans Nzoia from benefiting from national government programmes'” she said.
With the funding and ownership of major projects at the centre of the political standoff, the two leaders challenged Natembeya to put development ahead of confrontation.
