Rift valley politicians have celebrated the resignation of Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya, a long-term career civil servant who has served in various capacities in the executive arm of government.
On Wednesday, January 12, Natembeya officially resigned as the Rift Valley Regional Commissioner to focus on the Trans Nzoia gubernatorial seat, becoming the first-ever civil servant to resign to contest in the August 9, General Election.
Following Natembeya’s resignation, the majority of Rift Valley politicians took to social media to rejoice, describing him in all manner of negative adjectives possible.
Soy MP Caleb Kositany said Naembeya who has expressed his interest to succeed retiring Governor Patrick Khaemba was a very arrogant civil servant who preferred chest-thumping and insults.
“George Natembea has resigned good riddance of a very arrogant civil servant. He preferred chest-thumping and insults to reason, he was Mr know it. Welcome to the land of politics George, waiting to see if you will change,” Kositany.
On his part, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said Natembeya could have been fired a long time as he was divisive and polarizing.
Murkomen, a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto further stated that Natembeya was solely responsible for setting communities against each other for political reasons in Rift Valley.
“George Natembeya was a terrible Regional Commissioner. He was divisive and polarizing. He was solely responsible for setting communities against each other for political reasons,
” He failed the people of RV and Kerio Valley. His exit is good for the peace in the Rift Valley. He should have been fired,
“George Natambeya aspires to be the Governor of Trans Nzoia which is a cosmopolitan county. Judging from his performance as RC, such a polarizing, hateful, and vengeful dictator is not good for the peace and unity of Trans Nzoia,
” I hope the new Regional Commissioner will be apolitical and focus on peace and conflict resolution,” Murkomen said in a Tweet.
Tiaty MP William Kamket too did not have kind words for George Natembeya and even wished he loses the Trans Nzoia gubernatorial seat he is eyeing.
“I want to say congratulations to him for taking that bold step to be among the first civil servants to quit in order to try and join us in politics. But at the same time, I want to say good riddance,” said Kamket shortly after Natembeya’s resignation as quoted by Tuko.co.ke.
Natembeya was known for his tough stance against cattle rustling and insecurity in Rift Valley, vices viewed to be heavily linked to politicians from the region.
He also supervised the government’s efforts to reclaim huge tracks of land belonging to Mau forest by evicting many people who had encroached the forest.
It is believed many politicians from Rift valley deslike him because they were among illegal beneficiaries of Mau forest land.
