Drama at Nabwera funeral as Natembeya clashes with MP over speech

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya speaks during Burudi Nabwera's burial. [Martin Ndiema, Standard]

Disagreements erupt at Burudi Nabwera’s burial when Kiminini MP Kakai Bisau urged Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya to cut short his speech to allow the deceased to be buried at 2pm, in accordance with his will.

Bisau, who was serving as the master of ceremonies, stepped away from his VIP seat and approached the podium, urging Natembeya to wrap up his remarks so that the burial could take place before 2pm, as specified in Nabwera's will.

After about 11 minutes of speaking, Natembeya was met with Bisau's insistence that he hand over the microphone to DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, who was set to read a tribute from former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The situation escalated further when Natembeya made a statement about the opposition's plans to defeat President William Ruto in the upcoming General Election, accusing Ruto's administration of failing to deliver on development projects.

Bisau challenged these comments, leading to a heated exchange. Despite the interruptions, Natembeya stood his ground, refusing to give up the microphone.

He explained that he had visited Nabwera during his illness and felt it was important to share his thoughts.

Bisau, however, reiterated the family's wishes, emphasizing that the program needed to conclude by 1:30pm to allow for the funeral procession to begin.

The back-and-forth lasted around seven minutes until a family member stepped in, requesting Natembeya to finish his speech.

The governor took the opportunity to call for unity among politicians, urging them to focus on presenting their policies and development plans to the electorate, reminding everyone that Kenyans would judge their leaders based on their performance come 2027.

"Throughout my life, I have never been a conformist,” Natembeya reflected, recalling his time as a regional commissioner.

He mentioned how he had often challenged misleading information from government officials during former President Kenyatta's administration, as he was keenly aware of the struggles faced by everyday citizens.

“I have faced consequences for speaking the truth. President Ruto himself has never been a conformist in his political journey. He is president today because he dared to be different. Using our script, we're gearing up to vote for Sifuna as Kenya’s sixth president," Natembeya  said.

Wamalwa shared that opposition leaders are set to gather in Wamunyoro next week to strategize on presenting a unified presidential candidate against Ruto.

Bumula MP Jack Wamboka called on the people of Western Kenya to unite behind Natembeya and support Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s presidential dreams, highlighting issues of economic marginalization and stalled development projects.

Wamboka also criticized the withdrawal of Natembeya’s security detail, cautioning that the government would be held accountable if anything were to happen to the governor.

Former Cabinet minister Fred Gumo referred to Nabwera as a key political figure who played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of Western Kenya. He encouraged the Mulembe community to come together, putting aside political differences, and support a presidential candidate, backing Sifuna’s campaign along with Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga.