Kakamega County Governor Fernandes Barasa has dared his Trans Nzoia counterpart, George Natembeya, to try and hold a political rally in Kakamega again.
Speaking at a Kakamega event on Friday, July 4, 2025, Barasa, in a message directed at Natembeya, urged total respect from him.
He warned the former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner against taking rallies to Kakamega that, according to Barasa, would spread hatred and tribalism.
Barasa dismisses Natembeya
Barasa also dismissed Natembeya, terming him as overrated.
“Tuko na majamaa engine amabao wanaeneza siasa ya chuki na siasa ya ukabila. Jana walikuwa hapa Kakamega, na mimi nataka kuambia ndugu yangu George Natembeya, you must respect Governor Italanyi. Lazima aheshimu governor. Na mimi nataka niambie Natembeya, you are so overrated,” Barasa said.
Loosely translated as: “We have some individuals who are spreading politics of hate and tribalism. Yesterday, they were here in Kakamega, and I want to tell my brother George Natembeya: you must respect Governor Italanyi. He must respect the governor. And I also want to tell Natembeya, You are highly overrated.”
He went ahead to warn that Kakamega residents will not accept getting duped by politicians moving around preaching hatred and tribalism.
According to Barasa, Natembeya should play what he termed as tribal politics in his Trans Nzoia backyard, and not Kakamega.
“Nataka urudi hapa tena siku ingine ulete ujinga ambayo ulileta Kakamega. Nataka kuambia Natembeya, ile ujinga ulileta hapa jana peleka Trans Nzoia. Sisi watu wa Kakamega hatutakubali watu ambao wanaleta siasa za chuki hapa, siasa ya ukabila, siasa ambayo inagonganisha watu. Ndiposa naambia mtu ambaye anaitwa Natembeya aende atembelee Trans Nzoia. Nataka urudi hapa mwenyewe alafu tuonane mundu khumundu,” he said.
Loosely translated as: “I want you to come back here another day and bring the nonsense you brought to Kakamega. I want to tell Natembeya: the nonsense you brought here yesterday—take it to Trans Nzoia. We, the people of Kakamega, will not accept individuals who spread politics of hate, tribalism, and division. That’s why I’m telling the person called Natembeya to go and focus on Trans Nzoia. I want you to come back here in person so that we can face each other—man to man.”
Natembeya’s stance
Natembeya has called for unity in the Luhya community, vowing that the region will not be politically divided or manipulated by external forces starting in 2027.
Speaking during the Western region tour by the opposition leaders on Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Kakamega Town, Natembeya declared that the days of outsiders making decisions on behalf of the Luhya nation are over.
“Starting in 2027, moving forward, the Luhya community will never be divided again. On tables where issues are being discussed for us to be planned for, we are going there directly,” he stated.
Flanked by Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DCP Party leader Rigathi Gachagua, and other opposition leaders, Natembeya condemned the introduction of political projects in the Western region.
“We don’t want political projects in the Western region. Those who bought the Mumias, Nzoia, and Pan Paper factories, we are telling them that once we come into power, we will chase them away. We will reclaim our property,” he stated.
