Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, several Members of Parliament and former Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa have been blocked from accessing the Nzoia Sugar Company in Bungoma.
The county chief, who was accompanied by a battery of lawyers and other leaders, was en route to the company when he was blocked by police officers.
Kenyans.co.ke has established that the police mounted roadblocks on the Bungoma-Webuye highway at Matisi Bridge in Bungoma, leading to the company using spikes.
Attempts by the leaders accompanying the county chief, led by lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, proved futile, with the police disregarding their demands for the road to be opened.
"Who is in charge here? If we miss someone who can engage us on why this roadblock has been mounted, we will pull the barrier aside by ourselves," Njiru demanded, with his pleas falling on deaf ears.
The leaders castigated the police for misusing their power to block a national highway contrary to the provisions of the law.
The roadblock was positioned at Matisi Bridge in Bungoma to stop the governor and his entourage from accessing the company.
Other leaders in the caravan of the leader included former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala, DAPK leader Eugene Wamalwa, and other leaders.
Natembeya, who has been on a charm offensive across the Western region with his signature ‘Tawe’ slogan, has emerged as a political thorn for the current administration, frequently positioning himself in opposition to government policies.
On Sunday, during a church service in his county, the defiant governor vowed to march to the company to demand why the company and PanPaper Mills were sold.
''Nzoia Sugar Factory will not be sold as we watch. When this government exists, we will reverse the privatisation of Nzoia and Panpaper. Tomorrow I will go to demand a show cause on why the company has been sold,'' Natembeya told congregants.
Meanwhile, the leaders bypassed the roadblock and got an opportunity to address the locals within the area.
