Why I'm Not Going for the Presidency - Governor Natembeya

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has explained why he is not pursuing the presidency ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking on Thursday, August 20, he said his decision to leave his position as Regional Commissioner was driven by the challenges facing residents of Trans Nzoia rather than ambitions for the country’s top political office.

Natembeya said he still has unfinished work in Trans Nzoia, where he wants to continue addressing the problems affecting the people of the county.

"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.

This comes weeks after Natembeya held a meeting with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other leaders from the Western Region at his Kitale home.

He disclosed that the meeting centred around uniting the leaders from the region to mobilise the Luhya nation to vote as a block.

Natembeya hinted that the region would back Sifuna for the top seat, but confirmed that the leaders would unite under one party.

He disclosed plans to have two major rallies in the region: in Kitale on July 25 and a subsequent homecoming in Bungoma on July 26, where the elders would bless the Senator before he embarked on national campaigns.

"All politicians, councils of elders and other leaders will head to Bungima, where the elders will give him their blessing before the journey begins.

"When Sifuna is campaigning in Nairobi, Taita Taveta and the rest of Kenya, we will tour all 38 constituencies of this region. In 2027, we will vote as one house under one party," he reiterated.

On his part, Sifuna thanked Natembeya for bringing all the leaders from the region together amid claims that the Luhya Nation would not unite.

The Jubilee Party Deputy Organising Secretary, Pauline Njoroge, claimed that a decision had already been made to form a new political party.

Njoroge added that Sifuna would be crowned as the leader of the Luhya nation before being released to run national campaigns.

Elsewhere, Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo has said President William Ruto would struggle to secure re-election if he chose to contest the 2027 presidential election without entering into a political coalition.

Odhiambo said political coalitions play an important role in Kenyan elections by bringing together parties with support bases in different parts of the country.

"People use political coalitions, either before elections or post-elections, to get into government and get the presidency.

"For instance, right now, if President William Ruto were to decide that he's going for it alone, he would already lose," she said.

Odhiambo said the ethnic nature of Kenyan politics makes it difficult for presidential candidates to rely solely on one party or political support base.

"The reality is that Kenya is fairly ethnicized. So you need to look for parties that have diverse representations in different areas to help up your numbers. Post-Raila Odinga, ODM made the decision to stay in the broad-based," she added.