In a move that shocked residents and fueled political tensions, police on Monday blocked Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya from accessing the Nzoia Sugar Factory in Bungoma.
Natembeya, accompanied by prominent leaders and lawyers, was heading to the plant to protest its controversial leasing plan by the national government.
But officers manning a roadblock at Matisi Bridge shut down the route using spikes, sparking a fierce standoff.
The dramatic scene is the latest in a growing feud between the outspoken governor and the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Natembeya Blocked by Police as Sugar Politics Heat Up
Police officers set up a roadblock on the Bungoma-Webuye highway at Matisi Bridge to stop Governor Natembeya and his delegation from reaching the Nzoia Sugar Company gates.
The governor, in the company of former Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala, and several Members of Parliament, had planned to confront factory officials over the state’s decision to lease the mill to private investors.
Police abruptly halted the convoy. Armed officers lined the road and laid down metal spikes to stop vehicles from passing. Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru tried to negotiate access, but the officers flatly rejected his efforts.
“Who is in charge here?” Njiru demanded. “If no one can engage us, we’ll remove this barrier ourselves.” The officers ignored him.
Witnesses reported heated exchanges between the leaders and the police, who refused to explain the reason for the blockade. The road remained sealed off for hours, leaving no doubt that the move was deliberate.
The leaders condemned the police action, accusing the state of using security forces to suppress dissent.
“This is not just about a sugar company,” one MP said. “It’s about silencing those who question the government.”
Natembeya Faces Off With State Over Sugar Factory Leasing
Governor Natembeya has positioned himself as a key opponent of the Kenya Kwanza government’s plan to lease struggling sugar mills. He argues the move is a disguised attempt to sell public assets to politically connected individuals.
During a church service on Sunday, the governor pledged to confront those behind the leasing of Nzoia Sugar and PanPaper Mills.
“Nzoia Sugar Factory will not be sold as we watch,” he said. “Once this government is out, we will reverse the privatization.”
His remarks came just hours before the roadblock incident. Sources close to the governor say he had planned to demand official documentation on the leasing agreement and engage workers on the ground.
But to government insiders, Natembeya’s visit was seen as a political ambush. Authorities feared the governor might incite factory workers and the local community against the leasing plan, which is already facing backlash across the sugar belt.
Despite the blockade, Natembeya and the other leaders eventually bypassed the roadblock and found a way to address residents near the factory.
They called on locals to resist the leasing plan and vowed to keep pushing for transparency and accountability in the process.
Western Kenya Leaders Rally Behind Natembeya
The standoff at Nzoia Sugar has triggered a wave of support for Governor Natembeya from leaders across the Western region.
Eugene Wamalwa, a former powerful cabinet minister, said the police action was proof that the state was afraid of public scrutiny.
“What happened here today is unlawful and unacceptable,” Wamalwa said. “You cannot block elected leaders from accessing a public facility.”
Cleophas Malala also spoke out, criticizing the police for acting on political instructions instead of the law.
The leaders urged President William Ruto’s administration to abandon what they called a flawed and secretive leasing process. They warned that any attempt to privatize sugar factories without public participation would face fierce resistance.
The leasing of sugar companies is part of the government’s wider plan to revive the ailing sector, which has suffered from years of mismanagement, debt, and poor leadership. But the strategy has met stiff opposition from local leaders and farmers who feel excluded from the process.
Natembeya’s strong “Tawe” movement, which means “No” in Bukusu, has gained popularity as a rallying cry for defiance against what many see as economic sabotage of the Western region.
With Monday’s events, the tension between the outspoken governor and the national government has reached new heights. The question now is whether the blockade marks the beginning of a broader crackdown on dissent—or the rise of a new opposition force ahead of 2027.
