Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula has stated that the Trans Nzoia County boss, George Natembeya, is trying to call every person allied to President William Ruto in order to facilitate his decamping from the United Opposition to join the government.

Speaking during an interview on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the outspoken deputy governor, who decamped from the Democratic Action Party (DAP-K), where he and Natembeya were both deputy party leaders under Eugene Wamalwa.

He said that the Tawe leader is now desperate and has exhausted all his options after his party’s candidate, Seth Panyako, lost to United Democratic Alliance candidate David Ndakwa in the November 27, 2025, by-election and wants to side with Ruto.

He went ahead to challenge the Trans Nzoia governor to deny this, adding that after the Malava by-election setback, Natembeya has not had the energy to come out and speak, saying that this is what has informed his long silence and marked the end of what he termed Natembeya’s populist politics.

“Since Natembeya and the group in DAP lost the Malava by-election, have you had Natembeya in public for the last two months?” Savula posed.

“Tell me where he’s hiding. I don’t know why he’s hiding. He can’t be re-strategising. Right now, Natembeya is calling everyone, trying to join the Ruto bandwagon. Tell him to deny today.”

He further added that after UDA’s win in the Malava by-election, the region has shifted to UDA and is now embracing the party, predicting that by 2027, the whole region will be “yellow”.

He also stated that the Western region, which has traditionally supported and voted for the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has now turned to supporting Ruto after the demise of the Orange Democratic Movement leader, saying that anybody in 2027 who will not be aligned with UDA or the broad-based government will be voted out, adding that the Malava by-election was the litmus test.

Savula decamping to UDA

On why he decamped from DAP-K to UDA, Savula explained that he sensed the tide turning and did not want to be left behind, which is why he decided to ditch DAP-K and join the ruling party.

This comes days after Savula also announced his interest in the Kakamega gubernatorial seat and remained adamant about challenging his boss, Fernandes Barasa, in 2027 using the UDA ticket.