Following the shoot-the-leg directive given to police officers when dealing with violent protestors by President William Ruto, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya now says the directive assumes that all officers are “sharp shooters”, however, they are not.
Speaking in an interview with TV47 on Thursday, July 10 night, Governor Natembeya says there is no guarantee that all officers will follow the directive, basing his argument on past events.
“Wale wanaelewa masuala ya bunduki na risasi wanajua kwamba risasi likitoka kwenye bunduki, liko na maisha yake, hauna control. Utalenga mguu na upige kichwa,” he said, ” Kwa hivo kusema kwamba ulenge mguu ni ku assume officers wote ni sharp shooters, ama ni snippers.”
Giving an example of the fatal shooting of Rex Masai, Natembeya said bullet wounds are deadly, regardless of where the victim has been shot.
“Risasi sio jiwe ama kijiti, risasi ni moto. Hio kitu ikitoka ni moto, inachoma…Yule Rex Masai naskia hata allipigwa risasi kwa mguu, hakupigwa mahali pengine, na aliaga dunia.”
Natembeya claimed that the reason several police stations were burned down during recent protests is that Kenyans do not receive any assistance from the police, or are asked to give bribes to be helped.
“Mbona tunachoma police station? Ni kwa sababu mara nyingi wananchi wanaona kwamba hii police imekua mzigo kwetu, maafisa wa usalama vile wana behave, wamekua mzigo kwa wananchi, ama ile police station haimsaidii. Ama kama wana shida pale unapata wanaitishwa pesa, kuna ile police harassment. So unapata watu hawaoni ule umuhimu wa police station.”
Controversial Natembeya
On Wednesday, July 9, Governor Natembeya sparked controversy when he made wild claims, suggesting that the Luhya is the poorest community in Kenya.
In an effort to soliticise the Luhya unity — the second largest tribe in Kenya based on the 2019 National Census — ahead of the 2027 General Election, Natembeya insunuated that Mulembe nation has to come together if they are to change their fortunes.
“I think we, the Luhyas, are the poorest community in this nation. Just look at the kind of lives our people live and the menial jobs they do all over the country. Someone gives birth in Murang’a, and they immediately want a house girl from Vihiga. Someone wants a watchman, they’ll look for a Luhya. Grave diggers are Luhyas. And it’s all because of how we do our politics,” he said in an interview with Spice FM.
This statement placed him on a collision path with Mumias East MP Peter Salasya, who insisted that the Luhya community are not poor.
But in a rejoinder, a bullish Natembeya refused to engage with the youthful lawmaker. “Na mimi nikisema hivi, wakenya wanajua tu kwamba youle msichana anakufanyia kazi, anatoka wapi. Yule jamaa amekaa pale kwa gate ametoka wapi? Lakini hana nafasi. Vile Kenya iko tu structured, kama hauko kwa power, mambo yako inaisha namna hio.”
