Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has been handed some reprieve after the High Court issued orders stopping the withdrawal or thinning of his security detail.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, December 2, effectively means Natembeya, alongside Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, will have their security reinstated pending the inter partes hearing and determination of the Notice of Motion dated November 28, 2025.
In the ruling, respondents were restrained from “detrimentally varying the security detail and arrangements of the 1st Interested Party and the 2nd Interested Party, in terms of the numbers, composition, and particulars as they existed immediately before the impugned actions.”
On November 26, a day before the by-elections, Khalwale decried the withdrawal of his security, stating that six of his bodyguards had been recalled by the government. His announcement came hours after Natembeya faced a similar plight.
Days later, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen were dragged to court by the Centre for Litigation Trust, which alleged the move was unconstitutional and discriminatory.
The civil group further argued that the move was malicious and was intended to intimidate the two leaders, who are open critics of the Kenya Kwanza government.
Filings in court also showed that neither of the two leaders was slapped with any charges nor were they notified of any ongoing investigations against them, further invalidating the withdrawal of their security.
"The acts of the respondents are thereby whimsical and calculated to bully and intimidate the 1st and 2nd interested parties as the Governor of Trans Nzoia and Senator of Kakamega county…” the court papers read.
In the latest developments, the court also granted a conservatory order compelling Murkomen to immediately reinstate the security arrangements for the two leaders to the exact state they were before withdrawal.
Effectively, Natembeya and Khalwale will consider enjoying the full benefits of a security detail as the matter continues in court.
The latest decision will come as a relief for Khalwale, who was dealt another blow on Tuesday after losing his position as Senate Majority Whip.
Khalwale was stripped of his role by his UDA party, and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi confirmed this after receiving correspondence from the ruling party.
