By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natambeya has come out to explain the reason behind the current political differences with National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula.
The two have in recent months been embroiled in a supremacy battle that has on one occasion turned ugly.
Political pundits suggest the fight between the two leaders is all about control of the vote-rich Western region ahead of the 2027 general election.
While Wetangula is a veteran politician who ranks highly among the influential politicians in the region, Natembya is considered a newcomer, as he is only serving his first term as a county boss.
In an interview with a local TV station, the former regional commissioner said their differences were not personal.
He notes that it is all about Wetangula failing to push for the interest of the Luhya community for the over 30 years he has been in leadership.
“My problem with Speaker Moses Wetangula is not personal,” Natembeya said.
“The only issue we have is that Wetangula has been in leadership for almost 30 years but the Western region is still divided,” he added.
The county boss also hit out at Wetangula for claiming to be the regional kingpin yet has a handful of legislators elected on his party’s ticket.
Wetangula is the Ford Kenya Party leader. The party has a strong presence in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia Counties.
But in the 2022 general election, its candidates for various seats faced still competition from those vying for the United Democratic Alliance and Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) tickets.
“He says he is the Western Kenya kingpin yet his party has very few elected leaders,” Natembeya said.
The governor was elected on the DAP-K ticket.