Remain peaceful amid rising political temperatures – Natembeya

Governor George Natembeya during a public engagement meeting at Kiminini in Trans Nzoia county /MATHEWS NDANYI

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has urged communities in the region to remain peaceful and united despite rising political temperatures in the country.

Natembeya called on political leaders in the country to stop using the tribal card to whip up support and incite Kenyans ahead of the next general election.

He said counties like Trans Nzoia were highly cosmopolitan and leaders should be keen to foster unity and avoid careless talk that sparks divisions.

He accuses some leaders who were unable to face Kenyans with sound ideas of turning to tribal politics as a way to earn support.

“Our actions and talk should focus on unifying our people because in a county like Trans Nzoia we have people from all tribes in huge numbers and this is their home,” he said.

Natembeya who spoke during a public meeting in Kitale said his push for the Tawe Movement in Western Kenya was about economic and social empowerment of residents in the region and not about tribes.

“As governor, everyone in Trans Nzoia knows I always stand for inclusivity for all residents such that the opportunities we have benefit residents from all tribes,” the governor said.

He said his development programmes are spread in all parts of the county for the equitable growth of the region.

Natembeya said he is proud of his achievements as concerns development programmes he has initiated since he took over as governor.

The county boss said although he has faced serious political challenges aimed at sabotaging him, he has done more than what his predecessor did.

“My people in Trans Nzoia know how far we have come and what we have done just within two years of my administration,” he said.

Natembeya said he was now spearheading several key economic and social transformative projects that are helping the people of Trans Nzoia.

The initiatives have earned him accolades and caused him to be rated among top three performing governors as per the most recent pollster research.

The county boss said his tough stance on some key regional and national matters had earned him haters who were even attempting to remove him from office.

“There are those who even don’t want to see me step in Trans Nzoia just because they believe in the status quo where they will continue to frustrate our people,” Natembeya said.

He is vowing not to relent on his development agenda in the county but also regrets that low funding of counties is affecting his agenda to bring change in key sectors including agriculture, healthcare, education, infrastructure and water provision among others.

“These are areas which I believe can drive major social economic transformations for our people so that they are able to rise from poverty and contribute to economic growth of our country,” he said.

Agriculture is one of the sectors where the county was rated by pollster Infotrak to be performing well.

The governor said agriculture is the backbone of the economy in the region and the country at large hence his initiative to support farmers produce more and also diversify so that they can earn more from farming activities.

Through programmes including Fukuza Njaa and the Nawiri initiative, the governor pledged to uplift the livelihoods of thousands of households.

In the education sector Sh70 million is being used to finance Natembeya’s Ukombozi School Milk Programme under which learners in Early Childhood Development Education units will receive milk twice a week.

In addition to the milk programme, the governor has worked to improve school infrastructure, including the construction of 122 classrooms, 61 offices and 28 ablution blocks for ECDE learners. An additional 28 twin classrooms are currently under construction.

For vocational training, the county has used Sh45 million in tuition support, enabling trainees to access Sh13,000 each, up from Sh2,000 in the previous years.