COTU boss, ATWOLI, sets the record straight on endorsing Governor NATEMBEYA as Western Kenya political kingpin



Saturday, November 22, 2025 - Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General, Francis Atwoli, has denied reports suggesting that he endorsed Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya as the political leader of Western Kenya.

A poster circulating online claimed Atwoli had thrown his weight behind Natembeya, portraying him as the Luhya community’s seniormost leader.

The post implied that Atwoli was impressed by Natembeya’s rise, a move seen as undermining Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.

Atwoli swiftly dismissed the poster as fake, reiterating his long-standing support for Mudavadi and Wetang’ula.

The outspoken union boss has consistently rallied the Luhya community behind the two leaders, insisting that they are best positioned to chart a viable political course.

He has even urged one of them to contest the presidency in the 2032 General Election.

Natembeya, however, has positioned himself as a rival voice in Western Kenya politics.

Through his “Tawe Movement,” the Governor has accused Mudavadi and Wetang’ula of leveraging the region’s numerical strength for personal bargaining power in successive regimes, without delivering tangible benefits to ordinary citizens.

He has vowed to dislodge them from community leadership.

Natembeya joined elective politics in 2022, winning the Trans Nzoia governorship after a career in the Ministry of Interior, where he last served as Rift Valley regional coordinator.

The Kenyan DAILY POST

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