A dramatic scene unfolded in Kitale town on Thursday morning after Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officers and police made a surprise raid at the home of Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya. The early morning operation, which began shortly before 8am, lasted over two hours and ended with the EACC team hurriedly retreating under a cloud of tension and public outrage.
The raid, carried out at Natembeya’s Milimani estate residence, attracted a massive crowd of angry residents who protested the search, pelting vehicles with stones and deflating tyres. In the ensuing chaos, eight vehicles used by the EACC and police officers were damaged, forcing the officers to abandon them temporarily as they fled aboard police Land Rovers under tight security.
Police fired teargas canisters to disperse the agitated crowd, while hospital ward MCA Eric Wafula intervened to calm the situation and allow the officers to leave safely. Wafula appealed for calm and assured residents that Governor Natembeya would address the issue in Nairobi through an official statement.
Although the nature of the investigation remains unclear, Governor Natembeya was not present during the search. His aide, who spoke to reporters at the scene, said it was still unknown what, if anything, the EACC officers had taken from the residence. “We just saw them leaving as angry crowds surrounded the home,” said the aide.
The events sparked a wider debate among residents, many of whom viewed the operation as politically motivated. “Why come with guns and tear gas if it’s just a normal investigation? Why not summon the governor?” one resident shouted amid the commotion.
The EACC has not yet issued an official statement regarding the raid, but the incident has already raised concerns about the handling of high-profile investigations and the potential for public unrest.
As investigations continue, political observers will be closely watching how the government and the EACC respond to the backlash triggered by the dramatic raid on Natembeya’s home.
