Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has delivered one of the most direct political rebukes yet to the presidential ambitions of Rigathi Gachagua, declaring that he would never support the former deputy president should he contest the presidency in the 2027 general election.
Speaking on Jeff Koinange Live on Wednesday evening, the outspoken governor dismissed the possibility of backing Gachagua in stark terms, a statement that has quickly stirred debate across Kenya’s political landscape.
Natembeya’s comments come at a moment when political alliances are beginning to shift and leaders are quietly positioning themselves ahead of the next electoral cycle. His remarks underscore growing tensions within opposition circles and reflect a broader conversation about regional power sharing in Kenyan politics.
During the interview, Jeff asked Natembeya about his relationship with Gachagua, noting that the former deputy president had often spoken positively about him.
Natembeya acknowledged their shared background in the provincial administration but was careful to frame the relationship as professional rather than political.
“We share history,” Natembeya said. “He served in the provincial administration like I did. He rose to a certain level before moving into business. We speak frankly about issues affecting our people.”
The discussion took a sharper turn when the host asked whether Natembeya would support Gachagua if the courts cleared him to run for president.
His response left little room for interpretation.
“No,” the governor said. “I believe the presidency should rotate. The Mt Kenya region has had it for decades. When you look at the ordinary lives of people in Murang’a and compare them with those in places like Kabuchai, there is really no difference. They have had presidents. We have not. Yet the daily struggles of the people remain the same.”
Natembeya argued that Kenya’s fierce political battles are often driven by the mistaken belief that a president’s home region automatically benefits from access to state power.
In his view, that assumption fuels unhealthy competition and deepens political divisions during elections.
“We must demystify the idea that when someone from your community becomes president, the entire community benefits from state largesse,” he said. “That belief is not true.”
He warned that the perception has historically intensified ethnic political rivalries, sometimes with dangerous consequences.
“If a single community insists on holding the presidency again and again, it creates unnecessary tension,” Natembeya added. “People end up fighting each other during elections because they believe power belongs to one region.”
The governor’s remarks have quickly drawn attention from political observers who see them as part of a widening debate over how leadership should be shared in Kenya’s multiethnic democracy.
With the 2027 election still some distance away, statements like these suggest that the battle for political influence is already taking shape behind the scenes.
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