Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has confirmed that authorities withdrew security officers attached to Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
However, Murkomen insisted that Natembeya isn’t the only politician who lost the officers; authorities withdrew security from several leaders across both sides of the political divide ahead of Thursday’s by-elections in their regions.
“The National Police Service has a report that the officers attached to them are involved in criminal activities. Some who may be seen to be leaning to one side of the political divide have chosen to keep quiet and not to share publicly what the police have done, but some have decided to go public,” he said.
“It is not only one person whose security has been withdrawn.”
According to the CS, they aim to prevent officers from misusing firearms while claiming to protect their bosses.
“In any case there is no boss tomorrow. The people are the bosses, and they are going to elect their boss, so everybody who was campaigning for a party your job is done,” he said.
Murkomen warned that authorities will treat anyone found loitering and attempting to interfere with elections as a suspect “like other suspects.”
He explained that security officers will be present at voting areas to ensure no one intimidates voters.
“Our job as a government is to ensure voters are not intimidated, and when we succeed in intimidating the goons, we are very happy. When goons complain that the government is intimidating, it is my joy,” the CS said.
Murkomen made these comments while assessing the security situation and preparedness in Kasipul and other electoral areas ahead of the poll.
His response came after Natembeya claimed that authorities recalled security officers attached to him as bodyguards and those guarding his Kitale home on Tuesday night.
Natembeya confirmed that authorities recalled all six elite officers, including his driver, and instructed them to report to the nearest police station.
“I received reports from my officers that they had been instructed to go to the nearest camp. Those from the GSU are to report to the nearest camp. My driver was asked to report to the nearest police station. Now, I don’t have any security officers with me or at my residences,” Natembeya said in an interview.
When asked why authorities recalled his bodyguards, the former powerful Rift Valley Regional Commissioner said people should ask President William Ruto. “Mimi sijui ni kwa nini walitolewa. Hiyo uliza Ruto (I don’t know why they were withdrawn, ask Ruto),” Natembeya responded.
The outspoken county boss argued that based on the threats he faces, the government should have strengthened his security detail instead.
“You know, someone is given security officers depending on their level of threats. I don’t know if threats have reduced or what has happened. Based on what happened on Saturday when we were shot, common sense dictates that I should have been given more security officers,” he said.
However, the self-declared opposition leader insisted that withdrawing his bodyguards won’t intimidate him.
“I want to assure them that they will not succeed in their efforts to compromise my fight against bad governance and liberation of my people from political slavery,” the governor added.
The governor described the withdrawal as intimidation and a threat to his life.
Natembeya argued that his security wasn’t a government favor or gift from anyone but a constitutional right that must be respected.
He accused the police of politicizing and weaponizing the security apparatus for political interests.
“Let whoever did that know that I will not be intimidated or cowed into giving up on my stand,” Natembeya said.
He pointed out that the withdrawal happened when his life faced real threats, citing attacks he narrowly escaped during the by-election campaigns in Malava and Bungoma.
