Trans Nzoia County Governor His Excellency George Natembeya has finally broken his silence after Kenyans questioned his absence from a key State House meeting that brought together all county chiefs. The 12th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit, held on Tuesday at State House Nairobi, was attended by 46 governors—except Natembeya and Homabay Governor Gladys Wanga.
The high-level meeting focused on coordination between national and county governments, resource allocation, and emerging challenges faced by devolved units.
However, the absence of the two governors sparked intense public debate, with many wondering why they chose to skip such an important forum.
In a detailed statement released on Wednesday, Governor Natembeya clarified that his absence had nothing to do with defiance or political disagreements.
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Instead, he cited the withdrawal of his security detail by the national government as the main reason he could not travel to Nairobi for the summit.
He stated that the withdrawal of security officers—despite a valid court ruling directing their reinstatement—posed a serious risk to his safety and made it impossible for him to attend a meeting where every governor was expected to appear with full security escort.
“Today, all the 46 governors walked into State House, Nairobi, for the 12th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit 2025, each accompanied by their security details,” Natembeya said.
“We did not attend, because the same government has refused to honour a valid court ruling directing the CS for Interior and IG Kanja to immediately reinstate our security.”
Natembeya insisted that his decision was driven purely by legitimate security concerns and respect for court orders, not political protest.
His explanation adds a new twist to the ongoing conversation about relations between the national government and outspoken county bosses, particularly as the country inches closer to the 2027 election cycle.
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