Key opposition leaders accompany Natembeya to court
After spending a night in custody following his dramatic arrest at his Milimani home in Trans Nzoia, Governor George Natembeya on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, presented himself at the Milimani Law Courts, where he is expected to be formally charged.
Key opposition leaders, led by his party leader Eugene Wamalwa, accompanied Natembeya in a strong show of solidarity.
Also present was former presidential candidate George Wajackoyah, who had earlier visited the EACC offices where the governor was being questioned, and renowned lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, representing Natembeya.
The governor, who alighted from a black car under tight security, appeared calm and upbeat.
In his typical fashion, he flashed a confident smile as he was led into the courtroom by police officers, with his legal team following him behind.
The heavy presence of both political allies, media and security forces underscored the high-stakes nature of the case, with the whole country now waiting to see what will come out of this case since the case has attracted a lot of attention from the public
Natembeya’s arrest
This comes after his arrest on May 19, 2025, by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over allegations of embezzling Ksh1.4 billion in county funds.
The EACC raided his Kitale home, targeting procurement irregularities, abuse of office, and bribery linked to three major projects: the rehabilitation of Kenyatta Stadium, the construction of Trans Nzoia County headquarters, and Tom Mboya Hospital, spanning the 2022/2023 and 2024/2025 financial years.
Natembeya was detained in Nairobi at EACC headquarters for questioning, though his legal team was denied access.
He is also accused of receiving Ksh2.1 million in kickbacks from a contractor.
The arrest sparked protests in Kitale, with residents blocking roads and vandalising five EACC vehicles, leading to a journalist covering the event being injured
Opposition leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa, condemned the arrest as politically motivated, citing Natembeya’s vocal criticism of the government, particularly over the Nzoia Sugar Company lease.
The EACC denies political influence, stating the raid was part of a routine investigation.
Natembeya’s stance on Ruto’s regime
Natembeya’s political stance has been characterised by his fierce criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration, positioning him as a key opposition figure.
For the recent past, the governor has been pulling huge crowds dubbed the Tawe movement, a movement set to liberate the region from slavery held by other regions, where they are only remembered during campaign periods but isolated during the sharing of the national cake
