Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya on Monday, May 26, 2025, made a triumphant return to Western Kenya, declaring himself a “general and commando with soldiers” during a series of stopovers en route to a major homecoming rally in Kitale. The governor, recently released on bail following corruption charges, was warmly received in several towns, including Luanda, Chavakali, and Kakamega.
Natembeya’s tour, under the banner of his Tawe Movement, is being seen as a bold political comeback and a rallying cry for unity in the Western region. Accompanied by Roots Party leader George Wajackoyah, Natembeya’s convoy drew enthusiastic crowds as it weaved through Vihiga, Bungoma, and Kakamega counties.
In Kakamega Town, where political tensions recently flared, Natembeya addressed supporters without incident—just two days after police tear-gassed a rally by DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala. The contrast was not lost on observers, with Natembeya using the opportunity to accuse the state of selectively silencing certain leaders.
“They have destroyed Mumias and Nzoia and want to silence us. But they won’t. The Constitution protects me. I am now a general and a commando—with soldiers,” he told cheering crowds.
He decried regional marginalization, highlighting the lack of job opportunities for the region’s educated youth and discriminatory recruitment practices in the police service. “Others arrive in lorries while we are carried in wheelbarrows,” he lamented.
The rallies mark Natembeya’s first public appearances in the region since his May 20 arraignment on corruption charges. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a Sh500,000 cash bail, with a 60-day ban from office.
His final rally in Kitale is expected to bring together opposition leaders and focus on unity, spiritual reflection, and development. Natembeya is positioning the Tawe Movement as a grassroots force to combat poverty, unemployment, and inequality in Western Kenya.
The political landscape in the region is shifting, and with Governor Natembeya back on the scene, the battle for the soul of Western Kenya is intensifying.
