Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya warns Raila over maandamano
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has warned Azimio leader Raila Odinga against staging protests and mass action in the county.
He spoke at State House, Nairobi, on March 15, 2023, after meeting President William Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Premier Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
Natembeya, a former senior police officer, stressed that the electioneering period is over and thus the focus should be on service delivery other than protests.
“There is no room for demonstrations in Trans-Nzoia. It is time to work and serve the people,” warned Natembeya.
The warning comes days after the tough-speaking governor also dismissed the public rallies held by Mr Odinga and his colleagues including Martha Karua, Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa.
Governor Natembeya was elected on a DAP-K party ticket, which is affiliated to Azimio, in the August 2022 polls.
Speaking at the event, Mudavadi asked Kenyans to ignore Mr Odinga’s calls for mass action.
Mr Odinga has also declared March 20, 2023, a national holiday even though he has no powers to do so.
“Ignore the fictitious declarations that have no legal basis,” Mr Mudavadi said.
Mudavadi unveiled plans by the government to expand Kitale town to cater to the growing population in the region.
Mr Odinga has called for countrywide protests over the high cost of living and what he describes as his stolen election victory in the August 2022 polls.
Mr Odinga has accused President William Ruto of failing to deliver on his pre-election pledges and has also demanded transparency in the process of establishing new members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commision (IEBC).
The demonstrations have been witnessed in Migori town and Kisumu city, with Police forced to heavily deploy to bar hundreds of protestors from accessing the Kisumu State Lodge on March 15, 2022.
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