Wamuzi News Ke
The political situation in the Western Corridor has experienced a major shake-up following the ruling party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), issuing an ultimatum to one of the most vocal and sometimes even the most powerful figures of the opposition, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
UDA is showing intent to pursue and challenge its rival openly by a senior official who has urged Natembeya to desist from his party, the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K), immediately and join the government camp.
This super-tensed offer was made public at a major party conference in Kitale Town by UDA interim National Treasurer Japhet Mokaya. Mokaya, who is also the Kitutu Chache North MP, portrayed the sudden appeal as an occasion for reconciliation and improved development.
“I am telling Governor George Natembeya that UDA is willing and ready to receive him so we can work together in serving the great people of Trans Nzoia and Kenya at large,” Mokaya proclaimed, and with this statement, he actually ignited a very public defection attempt against the Deputy Party Leader of DAP-K.
The brave invitation puts a confrontation directly in front of the governor’s frequently quoted public pledge. The governor’s aggressive criticism of the previous administration has, at times, been coupled with support of the political opposition, and thus he has notoriously set himself very far apart from the ruling coalition.
A statement that has now returned to affect the political scene, Natembeya once loudly proclaimed: “The day you hear I have joined the government, you will have to take me to Mathari Mental Hospital.”
The UDA’s explicit invitation implicitly challenges the strength of this passionate promise, putting Natembeya in a tricky situation where any step toward collaboration will provoke very strong opposition from the base he now commands.
Natembeya’s political capital is enormous. He is currently seen as a vital building block of the United Opposition’s 2027 plan and has also been recognized as a possible running mate for the former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka. The departure of a person of his rank would deal the opposition a major setback in terms of unity and control over the vote-rich Western region.
The invitation is also made in the midst of internal pressure exerted by the UDA party on Natembeya. The UDA meeting in Kitale was held to formally welcome several new members who defected from DAP-K and the Kenya Union Party (KUP), which indicates that the ruling party is making a determined effort to politically isolate Natembeya in his own county. Moreover, the governor is already facing calls for his impeachment from within the Kenya Kwanza coalition, which adds more political pressure to his situation.
The situation is now completely in the hands of Governor Natembeya. He will have to make a choice between sticking to his guns and opposing the government or accepting the government’s enthralling invitation to “work together.” His decision will definitely determine the direction of the next general election and the political fate of the Western region.
