The registration of a new party, Transformative Agenda with Empowerment (TAE), associated with Trans Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya and its instant popularity has stirred the hornets’ nest in Kenya’s overly regionalised and tribalised politics.

TAE – with roots in the Tawe Movement that swept western Kenya in the wake of June 2024 nationwide youth protests – has elevated Natembeya to a hero status in a region long starved of robust leadership.

The governor is accused of abuse of office, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.

While it may be coincidence that Natembeya’s arrest happened hours after Mumias East MP Peter Salasya was already in custody on charges of publication of inflammatory statement in social media and ethnic hate, it is noteworthy that the two come from the same tribe. Additionally, in the recent past, the two have elicited massive interest of young voters for advocating for generational political revolution in the mainly agricultural region that has since independence not been given the preferential treatment similar to what other parts of the country have enjoyed.

Therefore, the registration of TAE and subsequent announcement by Natembeya that he is gearing up to challenge William Ruto in the 2027 presidential election is said to have unsettled the so-called “legacy politicians” in the governing Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

The emergence of Natembeya and Salasya in western Kenya, thus, presents the region with a revolutionary breed that promises a break with the past.

As the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officers raided the official residence and offices of Governor Natembeya on Monday, there were loud complaints the outspoken governor was being punished for his alleged links to TAE, which had been denied the greenlight 21 times by the registrar of political parties.

According to TAE officials, the registrar’s decision was informed by fears of senior politicians who are close to President Ruto, but who risk losing grip on regional politics if Natembeya and Salasya were allowed to deepen roots.

The party was finally registered towards the end of last year and certificate issued this year, paving the way for what is has been described as a “people-driven agenda” of anchoring the political and economic interests of western Kenya.

Natembeya was elected on Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K) – which was hurriedly registered in the run up to the 2022 elections to blunt the influence of ODM, Ford Kenya and Amani National Alliance (ANC) parties in western Kenya – is led by former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.

TAE is chaired by Kakamega-based tycoon and Kakamega Homeboyz Football Club owner Cleophas Shimanyula Toto. In a past conversation with Shimanyula after registration of TAE, he revealed the party has already registered more than 60,000 members in a region that for the past two decades been the stronghold of Ford Kenya and ODM.

“Once the IEBC is constituted, we are planning to meet and consider fielding a candidate in the Malava Constituency by-election. That will be a good opportunity to launch our party that has been well-received in western Kenya,” Shimnayula revealed.

According to Wamalwa, Natembeya is being persecuted for his being a stickler for the rule of law, equal distribution of resources and robust defence of western Kenya’s right to equal representation in government.

“We have been at Natembeya’s residence since the EACC raid in the morning. They have searched everywhere looking for money they alleged was hidden in the governors’ house. They have found nothing. This a witch-hunt by a desperate regime,” Wamalwa says.

The Trans Nzoia County governor has become a darling of the electorate in western Kenya, where he enjoys support of the electorate disenchanted with the leadership of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.

The registration of TAE, which Natembeya plans to use to vie for presidency against President Ruto, has already undermined the hitherto dominance of ODM, Ford Kenya and Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in the region.

Natembeya has been a forthright in his opposition to the scrapping of security vetting for border communities, especially in the North Eastern Kenya. He argues that the decision by Ruto was ill-advised as it is likely to fuel terrorism. His remarks, made in the presence of the president during the former IEBC chair’s funeral, did not sit well with authorities, especially leaders from the North Eastern region who are aligned with the government.

Natembeya with four others, namely: Emanuel Masungo (Chief Officer Finance), Dorothy Nyukuri (Chief Officer Water), Eliyah Liambula (Director, Procurement) and Desmond Shivachi (contractor) are being investigated by EACC in connection to the alleged irregular procurement and fictitious payments of Ksh1.4 billion by the county government in the Financial Years 2022/2023 and 2024/2025.

In a memo released by the commission and signed by Chief Executive Officer Mohamud Abdi, the commission said the raid was done after obtaining search warrants and investigators are focusing on three major projects for which Natembeya is accused of receiving kickbacks from contractors through proxies.

The three projects awarded by the Trans Nzoia County government which are under investigation are rehabilitation of Kenyatta Stadium (Phase 1A) awarded to Parbat Sylan Construction Limited, construction of the Trans-Nzoia County headquarters offices awarded to C.M. Construction Company Limited and Construction of Tom Mboya Hospital awarded to Session Blue Contractors Limited.

Meanwhile, Abdi said the commission is also investigating allegations of money-laundering and accumulation of unexplained wealth by senior Trans Nzoia County officials suspected to be part of a broader scheme to conceal proceeds of crime.

Governor Natembeya recently appeared before the Senate to address financial misappropriation claims revolving around the three mentioned projects.

Meanwhile, there was a standoff witnessed between police, EACC officers and angry residents who resisted the arrest of the governor in the Monday morning incident. The standoff saw several vehicles, which were allegedly used by the EACC officers vandalised after being deflated.

EACC condemned the attack on the officers reminding the public that it is an offence to obstruct an EACC officer during investigations.

The commission stressed on its independency saying it will continue to discharge its duties with professionalism and integrity.

During the raid, EACC confirmed to have recovered unnamed material which will aid the ongoing investigations.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Isaiah Nayika