Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen says the security details of Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and several other Very Important Persons (VIPs) have been withdrawn following a National Police Service (NPS) report implicating them in alleged poll-related chaos and criminal activities.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, CS Murkomen stated that the security withdrawals are temporary and will remain in effect pending investigations into the extent of their involvement in incidents that disrupted recent electoral processes.
“The National Police Service has submitted a detailed report indicating possible involvement of certain individuals in acts that compromised public safety during the by-elections. In light of these findings, we have withdrawn their security details until investigations are complete,” Murkomen said.
“Any security measure taken by the National Police Service is to avoid crisis. If a police officer attached to a VIP is walking and working with goons, the best thing is to remove them.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny over election security and rising concerns about political interference in public safety.
NPS officials emphasised that the withdrawal is a precautionary measure aimed at ensuring accountability and maintaining the integrity of ongoing investigations.
Natembeya had earlier accused the national government of putting his life at risk after all police officers assigned to him were withdrawn without explanation, a decision he termed unconstitutional, alarming and politically instigated.
The withdrawal came two days after gunfire disrupted a rally in Kabuchai, Bungoma County, where Natembeya had joined campaigns for independent candidate Erick Wekesa in the Chwele Ward by-election.
The incident sparked panic, with residents scattering as tension escalated at the venue.
Natembeya has recently been at the centre of tense political realignments in Western Kenya.
His sharp criticism of senior government officials from the region, among them National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, has led to widening rifts within the political landscape.
The governor has positioned himself as a bold opposition voice in Western Kenya politics, accusing top Kenya Kwanza leaders of neglecting development priorities.
His stance has energised supporters but also drawn hostility from rival camps.
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