Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has slammed Dadaab Member of Parliament Farah Maalim over the latter's controversial sentiments, demanding his expulsion from Kenya.
In a statement on Thursday evening, the vocal governor termed Maalim's remarks as not only inflammatory but also reckless and deeply troubling.
While hitting out at Maalim, Natembeya asserted that no one, including a politician, possesses the moral or legal authority to question his Kenyan identity or strip him of his birthright.
He emphasised that he was born, raised, and educated in Kenya, and that he has devoted his entire career to public service, beginning with his early days as a regional commissioner.
According to the governor, his track record demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the welfare, security, and development of all Kenyans, irrespective of ethnicity or region.
"I have taken note of the reckless and deeply troubling remarks by a certain politician who not only questioned my nationality but even suggested I be expelled from Kenya. Such incendiary statements are false, inflammatory, and strike at the very heart of our shared identity as Kenyans," Natembeya said.
"I was born in Kenya, raised in Kenya, educated in Kenya, and have devoted my entire career to public service in this country from my early days as a Regional Commissioner in high-pressure zones to my current role as Governor of Trans-Nzoia County."
He further clarified that his recent call for the reinstatement of robust vetting procedures for national identity issuance in North Eastern Kenya arose solely from concerns over national security.
Natembeya stated that border regions have unique challenges, ranging from cross-border movement to the threat of illicit networks, that demand prudent safeguards.
His sentiments come on the back of Maalim's controversial remarks in which he called for Natembeya's expulsion from Kenya over the latter's stance on the abolition of ID vetting in border areas.
Addressing parliamentarians on Tuesday, April 22, Maalim noted that Natembeya's continued discrimination against specific groups of people could plunge the country into civil conflict, such as the one witnessed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“Natembeya belongs somewhere else; he doesn’t belong to Kenya, by the way. His ideas are crooked, let him leave here and go somewhere else,” Maalim commented.
