Governor George Natembeya misleads the Luhya community as a Luhya kingpin warns of a full-blown political storm, as self-proclaimed Luhya “kingpin” Musalia Mudavadi fiercely rebukes Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya for what he calls deliberate deception of the Western Kenya voting bloc.
Mudavadi hits back at Natembeya’s Luhya leadership as the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, firmly rejects Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya’s recent manoeuvres, declaring himself the undisputed “kingpin” of the Luhya community and vowing to block any perceived misleading of Western Kenya voters.
In a charged November 21 address at a development tour in Vihiga County, Mudavadi fired direct shots: “Governor Natembeya has decided to mislead the Luhya community, and as the kingpin, I will not accept that move.”
The sharp rebuke, delivered before hundreds of supporters, escalates a simmering power struggle within Kenya Kwanza’s Luhya bloc, pitting Mudavadi’s long-held influence against Natembeya’s rising star ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mudavadi’s outburst stems from Natembeya’s November 19 forum in Kakamega, where the governor rallied Luhya MPs to “speak with one voice” independent of national party dictates, subtly critiquing Mudavadi’s close alignment with President William Ruto.
Natembeya, a former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner turned vocal critic of centralised power, framed his call as protecting community interests amid perceived marginalisation in cabinet slots and projects.
“We cannot be led like sheep; Luhya must chart their own path,” Natembeya had said, drawing cheers from a crowd.
Mudavadi, dissolved ANC party leader and Ruto’s point man in Western, wasted no time reclaiming the narrative. “I am the kingpin here. No one misleads our people on my watch,” he asserted, flanked by loyalists like Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa.
His “kingpin” tag, a throwback to his 2013 NASA co-principal days, shows decades of dominance: three-time MP, vice president under Moi, and now third in command.
Supporters hailed the pushback as necessary muscle-flexing, with one elder in Hamisi telling K24: “Musalia has carried Luhya on his back for years; Natembeya is just warming up.”
The clash exposes fissures in Kenya Kwanza’s Western fortress, where Mudavadi delivered crucial votes in 2022 but faces youth discontent over unfulfilled promises like the Mumias sugar revival. Natembeya, riding high on anti-Ruto sentiment in Trans Nzoia, positions himself as the fresh face, courting Gen Z with direct aid and fiery speeches.
As November 22 dawns, Mudavadi hits back at Natembeya. Luhya leadership 2025 signals a heated 2027 prelude in Western Kenya. With Ruto watching closely, the kingpin’s crown feels contested, and the community’s voice is louder than ever. Will bridges mend, or will the rift widen the vote? For Luhya voters, the choice looms large.
