Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya has addressed his relationship with the two principals of the broad-based government system, President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

In an interview with a local TV station on Monday, August 11, 2025, Natembeya dismissed the need to enjoy a cordial relationship with the head of state.

The former county commissioner stated that politicians’ tendency to be close to the executive for development gains is a misplaced conception.

Relationship with Ruto

“Our relationship with Ruto is that he is the president and I am a governor. That is the relation. He is in the national government, and I am in the county government,” he bluntly stated.

 “The relationship between the county and national governments is dictated in the constitution. He is the president of Kenya, and I don’t have another president. I don’t know why people want to have more than that, to what end? There is this common tendency by politicians striving to be close to the president, but you see. I find it misplaced because our constitution of devolved units was aimed at reducing the politics of sycophancy,” he stated.

The governor further affirmed that his county deserves its fair share of government revenue despite his political stance as the county boss.

Above all, Trans Nzoia is part of Kenya, and as long as we are taxpayers, they deserve their fair share of tax, and so I believe it does not matter how one relationship with the president is,” he added.

On his relationship with Raila, Natembeya notes that the Orange Democratic Leader reserves the right to make his political choices after he agreed to join President Ruto’s ruling regime through the agreement signed on Friday, March 7, 2025.

Raila’s stance

The governor, however, added that Raila remains the opposition leader until he openly states what his stance is.

“Raila was our leader in Azimio, but he did not inform us when he was going to join the government. As far as I’m concerned, he was our leader. He has the freedom to make his choices. He has the right to make his own decisions. He says he sent experts to the government to help them. He has not categorically said he moved from the opposition, so unless he states that, we will know he is no longer our leader,” he said.