Natembeya: Luhya is the poorest community in Kenya
Trans-Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya has stated that the Luhya community is the poorest in the country.
The first-term county boss has linked the poverty ratio in his community to politics.
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“Someone gives birth in Muranga, and they immediately want a house girl from Vihiga. Someone wants a watchman; they will look for a Luhya. Grave diggers are Luhyas, and it’s because of how we do our politics,” he fumed during an interview with a local radio station on July 9, 2025.
While discussing the political dynamics in Western Kenya, Natembeya highlighted how leaders exploit poverty and illiteracy to maintain control, a strategy that aligns with historical patterns of political manipulation in developing regions where economic vulnerability can be leveraged for political gain.
“Because of poverty, our people have been forced to blindly follow, worship, and clap for leaders who give them handouts. Time has come to stand up and liberate our people from poverty,” Natembeya asserted.
The Luhya, Kenya’s second-largest ethnic group with a population concentrated in western regions, have historically wielded significant electoral influence, yet a 2019 study from the University of Nairobi on ethnic voting patterns indicates their vote fragmentation, unlike more unified groups, correlates with limited political leverage and economic benefits.
Natembeya’s statement coincides with a 2025 political climate where regional power dynamics are intensifying, as evidenced by recent land disputes in the Rift Valley, hinting at deeper structural issues tied to post-1963 migration and resource allocation affecting Luhya livelihoods.
Natembeya’s assertion that empowering the populace threatens the status quo reflects broader themes of political resistance and the challenges faced by reformist leaders, a phenomenon documented in various studies, such as those by the World Bank, which note that political stability in Kenya is often undermined by inequality and lack of quality jobs, perpetuating cycles of poverty and political dependency.
The context of his assertions is set against a backdrop of significant political and economic reforms in Kenya, with projections indicating a slow decline in poverty rates to 34% by 2025, suggesting that despite growth, the translation of economic gains to the poor remains inefficient, a critical factor in understanding the persistence of such political strategies as described by Natembeya.
