- George Natembeya says his focus remains on completing work he started for Trans Nzoia residents.
- The governor says leaving his Regional Commissioner position was driven by local challenges, not presidential ambitions.
- Natembeya has been involved in efforts to unite Western Kenya leaders ahead of the 2027 election.
- Leaders from the region have discussed supporting Edwin Sifuna under one political party.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has explained why he is not positioning himself to run for president in the 2027 General Election. Natembeya said his political journey has been driven mainly by the problems affecting residents of Trans Nzoia. He believes there is still work to be completed at the county level before he can think about seeking the country’s top office.
Speaking on Thursday, August 20, the governor said his decision to leave his previous position as Regional Commissioner was not motivated by presidential ambitions. Instead, he wanted to take a more direct role in addressing challenges affecting people in Trans Nzoia. Natembeya said that responsibility remains a priority for him.
“I left Sifuna to pursue the presidency because what made me leave office as Regional Commissioner was not about the presidency; it was about the problems facing the people of Trans Nzoia, and I have not yet finished that work,” he said.
Natembeya’s comments come against the backdrop of growing political discussions among leaders from Western Kenya. The governor recently hosted Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other regional leaders at his home in Kitale. The meeting focused on ways of bringing leaders together ahead of the 2027 election.
The leaders discussed the possibility of mobilising the Luhya community to vote as a united bloc. Natembeya indicated that the region could rally behind Sifuna for the presidency, although he stressed the importance of political unity. He also suggested that leaders would seek to work through one political party.
The strategy is aimed at creating a coordinated political force from Western Kenya. Natembeya said politicians, elders and other influential figures from the region would be involved in the process. The discussions come as political parties and alliances begin positioning themselves well ahead of the next General Election.
According to Natembeya, Sifuna could receive the backing of leaders from the region as he seeks to expand his national political profile. He outlined plans for major political gatherings in Kitale and Bungoma. The events were expected to bring together politicians and councils of elders as part of efforts to rally support.
Natembeya said the elders would bless Sifuna before he embarked on his wider national campaign. He also spoke of a coordinated campaign across the region, saying leaders would visit constituencies while Sifuna takes his message beyond Western Kenya.
The governor said the ultimate goal would be to have voters from the region unite behind one political vehicle. He pointed to the region’s 38 constituencies as an important base for the strategy. The plan, according to Natembeya, is to approach the 2027 election as a united political bloc.
Sifuna welcomed the efforts by Natembeya to bring leaders together. The Nairobi senator thanked the governor for helping create a platform where politicians from the region could discuss their political future. He also acknowledged the importance of overcoming divisions that have previously affected attempts to create a united Western Kenya voting bloc.
The push for unity comes amid wider debate over who could emerge as the region’s preferred presidential candidate. Several politicians have expressed different ambitions, making regional consensus difficult to achieve. Natembeya’s backing of a unified approach could therefore play an important role in shaping the political conversation.
Jubilee Party Deputy Organising Secretary Pauline Njoroge also weighed in on the discussions. She claimed that plans were already underway to establish a new political party. Njoroge further said Sifuna would be crowned as the leader of the Luhya nation before being allowed to embark on his national campaign.
Despite his involvement in the regional political discussions, Natembeya maintains that his immediate responsibility is Trans Nzoia. His latest remarks suggest that he does not want his involvement in the 2027 political debate to be interpreted as preparation for a presidential bid.
The governor has instead presented himself as a leader focused on delivering on his county responsibilities. He said the issues that pushed him into elective politics remain unresolved. Completing that work, he suggested, is more important to him than pursuing the presidency.
With the 2027 election still ahead, political alliances are likely to continue changing. Western Kenya leaders will have to agree on whether they can maintain a common position and which political vehicle can carry their ambitions. For now, Natembeya appears ready to support that regional strategy while keeping his attention on the people of Trans Nzoia.
