Nairobi, Kenya — Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya was on Tuesday released on bail after appearing in court to answer to corruption charges involving over Ksh 3.2 million in public funds.
The governor, a former Regional Commissioner turned politician, denied all allegations. He was freed on a cash bail of Ksh 500,000 or an alternative bond of Ksh 1 million, pending trial.
Natembeya stood before Principal Magistrate Charles Ondieki at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, where he pleaded not guilty to three charges, two of them related to conflict of interest.
The case centres on payments made by the Trans Nzoia County Government to three private firms between January 2023 and April this year. The prosecution alleges that Natembeya indirectly benefited from the transactions.
Court documents detail claims that Ksh 3,252,568 was paid to Lyma Agro Science Limited, Maira Stores, and Easterly Winds Limited. According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the governor received indirect financial gain from two individuals linked to the companies.
Prosecutors say Mercy Chelangat, who is listed as the director of Lyma Agro Science and owner of Maira Stores, transferred Ksh 1,127,900 to Natembeya. Emmanuel Wafula Masungo, tied to Easterly Winds Limited, is said to have made further payments amounting to Ksh 2,124,668.
The court imposed tough bail conditions. Governor Natembeya has been barred from accessing his office for 60 days. He must also remain in the country unless cleared by the court and has been instructed not to speak about the case publicly or through the media.
Magistrate Ondieki warned the governor against interfering with witnesses, a move that signals the seriousness with which the court is treating the matter.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has until 3 June to supply all evidence to the defence, ahead of a pre-trial hearing set for that morning.
The case is the latest in a string of high-profile corruption investigations targeting county governments, many of which have come under scrutiny from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
As the proceedings begin, public opinion remains sharply divided. Supporters of Natembeya see the charges as politically motivated, while critics argue they reflect a long-overdue reckoning in Kenya’s war on graft.
For now, the spotlight is firmly on the courtroom and on a governor who insists he has nothing to hide.
