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Natembeya quit notice triggers massive shuffle

Friday, January 14th, 2022 02:00 | By
Former Rift Valley regional commissioner George Natembeya. Photo/FILE

The resignation of the no-nonsense Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya on Wednesday triggered mass transfers in the Office of the President.

Hours after he announced his resignation to join elective politics in the next General Election, Natembeya, 51, was replaced by the Makueni County Commissioner, Mohammed Ahmed Maalim.

Natembeya resigned after 26 years of public service to focus on his bid for Trans Nzoia governorship.

A few hours after his resignation, the Interior PS Karanja Kibicho transferred a total of 24 commissioners.

Kibicho said the transfers had been agreed upon and took effect immediately.

The new Nairobi regional commissioner is William Kangethe Thuku. He has been transferred from Harambee House.

Thuku replaces James Kianda, who moves to North Eastern in the same capacity.

Kianda replaces a former National Intelligence Service (NIS) officer Nicodemus Ndalana, who has been transferred to the Harambee House.

The new Western commissioner is Isaiah Aregai Nakoru, who has been moved from Eastern, where Evans Achoki, the former Narok County Commissioner who has been promoted, replaces him.

The new Narok county commissioner is Isaac Wanyonyi Masinde, a senior deputy secretary at Harambee House.

Nakoru replaces Esther Wamuyu Maina who has been moved to Central. Wilfred Agage Nyangwanga who was at Central has been moved to OOP, Harambee House. 

Lukas Katee Mwanza, a Senior Deputy Secretary at OOP has been moved to Mombasa where he replaces Gilbert Kitiyo Benjamin who has been moved to Makueni.

Rhoda Nyaboke Onyancha has been moved from Taita Taveta to Machakos where he replaces John Otieno Ondego who has been moved to Kakamega.

Embu Commissioner Abdulla Galgalo Hiddi has been moved to Nyeri where he replaces Loyford Ephuntus Kibaara who has been moved to Taita Taveta.

The new Embu Commissioner is Eddyson Haro Nyale who has been moved from Harambee House.

Samburu commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa has swapped positions with his Baringo counterpart, Henry Orawo Wafula.

Elgeyo Marakwet’s Commissioner Ahamed Omar Ahmed has also swapped positions with his Busia counterpart, John Kipngetich Korir. 

Jesse Ochillo Oyugi has been moved from Vihiga to Harambee House. Oyugi has been replaced by John Otieno Odhiambo who was the senior deputy county commissioner Samburu Central.

Pauline Anyango Dola has been transferred from Kakamega to Nyanza as the Nyanza commissioner’s personal assistant.

This comes as Natembeya’s resignation to join politics continued to draw mixed reactions.

Good riddance

While Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen described Natembeya as a “terrible, divisive and polarising,” Tiaty MP William Kamket was blunt saying: “I congratulate him for resigning but good riddance.”

Interestingly, the duo have locked horns in the past over the cattle rustling menace and banditry attacks in the North Rift and particularly Kerio Valley which lies at the border of Elgeyo-Marakwet and Baringo counties.

Raiders from Tiaty have been accused of perpetrating attacks in the region and Kamket was arrested last September over incitement claims. He was later charged and he is out on bond pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

“He (Natembeya) is a dictator and person a know-it-all kind of a person. He has left the region worse than he found it,” Kamket said.

And in a message posted on his twitter handle, Murkomen said Natembeya failed the neutrality test.

“He was solely responsible for setting communities against each other for political reasons. He failed the people and his exit is good for peace in the Rift Valley.”

However, addressing the press in his office for the final time on Wednesday, Natembeya accused politicians of hypocrisy saying they feign ignorance for selfish gains. 

“I don’t have any regrets because everything I did was after consultation. Mine was just to implement the position of the government,” he said, assuring the people of Trans Nzoia that they will see a different person moving forward. 

“It will be 360 degrees about turn. I will no longer be the person chasing mothers preparing chang’aa but that person who will look for solutions and help them get out of such activities because we need a long term plan for them,” he added.

While Natembeya received a barrage of criticism from the politicians, his colleagues showered him with praise.

Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Samson Ojwang’ described him as a shining star and a mentor.

“We look upon him for mentorship. He has guided us and showed us that nothing is impossible especially when you’re committed. It is possible,” Ojwang’ said.

 “In has much as people see him as mkali (harsh) or firm, it is because of the kind of work. Firmness is required in this work,” he stated.

For his part, Kajiado County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha described the outgoing regional commissioner as a friend of more than 30 years.

“He is somebody I have known for a long term and he is somebody you can trust,” he said.

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