Tensions rose in Kitale on Monday, May 19, 2025, when a group of angry young people let the air out of the tyres of five cars belonging to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). These officials were outside the home of Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
The situation became tense after a group of police officers, who were dressed in plain clothes and wearing masks, tried to enter the governor’s home early in the morning. This upset many local people, who quickly gathered to protest.
The confrontation started around 6:00 a.m. when the police officers attempted to enter Natembeya’s property. Some sources say they were trying to arrest the governor or search his house.
When locals heard the noise, they quickly came together to block the entrance to the governor’s home, making it hard for the police to take him away. In a strong action, some young people punctured the tyres of five official cars, trapping the police and increasing the tension.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as the police used tear gas to try to break up the crowd, while protesters threw stones and shouted support for Natembeya, who has often criticised President William Ruto’s government.
“We will not let anyone humiliate our governor,” one protester told local news. Many locals recorded the events, showing the cars with flat tyres and the crowd standing up to the police.
The police’s action has led to claims of political persecution. Opposition leaders, like Wiper Party’s Kalonzo Musyoka and Democratic Action Party–Kenya’s Eugene Wamalwa, have spoken out loudly against the raid, calling it a way to scare Natembeya.
Musyoka claimed that the EACC had a warrant to damage the governor’s reputation, while Wamalwa, who visited the scene, called the police action “state-sponsored thuggery”.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua also criticised the government and called for calm.
So far, neither the DCI nor the EACC have explained why they were at the governor’s home, but many people think it relates to ongoing corruption investigations, with no official charges made public yet.
Natembeya, who has had disagreements with the national government over matters like the lease of the Nzoia Sugar Company, denies any wrongdoing and has warned against the misuse of government power.
Police maintained a strong presence outside Natembeya’s home, and many businesses in Kitale closed because people were worried about more clashes.
