Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has announced plans to visit Bungoma County for a major public engagement forum, a move that is expected to stir the region’s already charged political atmosphere.
The Governor revealed details of the visit on his Facebook page after holding a town hall meeting in Kitale with student leaders drawn from universities and colleges in Bungoma. The group, which joined Trans Nzoia staff prayers before seeking an audience with him, urged Natembeya to take his message to Bungoma, describing him as the leader who could “deliver Bungoma from the bondage of Ford Likubili.”
During their two-hour discussion, the students presented a raft of requests, including his direct involvement in voter registration sensitization across Western Kenya, guidance on the upcoming Bungoma by-election, and a strong stand against what they termed as political intimidation in Bungoma. They concluded by hailing Natembeya as not only a leader but also a political father and mentor.
Bungoma is the political bedrock of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Governor Kenneth Lusaka. Both leaders have long enjoyed dominance in the county, which is considered a stronghold of Ford Kenya, Wetang’ula’s party. Natembeya, who has never shied away from criticizing the two, has often accused them of presiding over a culture of political bullying and failing to deliver meaningful development to the people of Bungoma.
His planned entry into Bungoma is therefore expected to test the political waters and potentially shift the balance of power in a county where Wetang’ula’s influence runs deep. Analysts note that the visit could mark the beginning of an intense political duel between the Trans Nzoia Governor and the Bungoma leadership, particularly as the region braces for the upcoming by-election.
Natembeya’s allies believe that his bold style of politics and his growing popularity in the larger Western Kenya region could unsettle Wetang’ula and Lusaka. “Bungoma has for years been fenced under Ford Kenya, but people, especially the youth, are yearning for change. Natembeya represents that change,” said one of the student leaders.
However, Wetang’ula’s supporters insist that the Speaker remains the undisputed kingpin of Bungoma politics and will not be shaken by what they dismiss as “outsider interference.”
As Natembeya prepares to set foot in Bungoma, residents and political observers alike will be watching closely to see whether his presence sparks a realignment in the county’s politics—or whether Wetang’ula and Lusaka will once again prove their grip unshaken.