Governor George Natembeya has dropped his plan to take over the disputed Kitale market.
The Trans Nzoia governor also drops plans to relocate street traders and says he will no longer oppose the new Kitale Level 5 Hospital project.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has dropped his plan to take over the disputed Masinde Muliro Market in Kitale. He also says he will no longer pursue plans to move street traders into the facility.
The decision comes amid an escalating dispute over ownership and control of the Masinde Muliro Business Park. Natembeya maintains that the county government should control the newly opened facility.
Meanwhile, General Service Unit officers have barricaded the Trans Nzoia County headquarters to prevent him from visiting the market.
Masinde Muliro Market relocation plan dropped
Natembeya had intended to relocate traders from Kitale’s streets to improve cleanliness and ease waste management. However, he now says traders who secure spaces inside the market should operate there, while others should remain where they are.
The governor explained that his intention in seeking to open the market was to bring people together. His latest position reverses a weekend pledge to reopen the facility and allocate stalls to traders previously assigned spaces.
During that earlier pledge, Natembeya also accused President William Ruto of taking credit for county projects during his regional visit. He said threats to his security would not intimidate him.
At the time, the governor challenged police to arrest him during his planned Monday visits to the market and hospital construction site.
Governor also steps back from hospital dispute
Separately, Natembeya said he would no longer oppose construction of the new Kitale Level 5 Hospital. The project occupies the site of the former Kitale District Hospital.
He also invited the Kenya Defence Forces to take over the hospital site. In explaining that decision, he argued that continued opposition would draw him into petty disputes intended to convey a message.
The governor’s retreat covers both his planned market intervention and his opposition to the hospital project. However, he continues to insist that the market belongs under county government control.
