Tension in Trans Nzoia County As Headquarters Gate Barricaded By GSU Officers

Kitale was placed under heightened security on Monday, October 20, 2026, after General Service Unit officers blocked the entrance to the Trans Nzoia County headquarters.

The deployment followed Governor George Natembeya’s announcement that he would visit the Masinde Muliro Business Park, a KSh 840 million market officially opened by President William Ruto on October 16.

Police officers and GSU personnel were deployed around the county offices and the market, with authorities apparently preparing for a possible confrontation over the governor’s planned visit.

Natembeya has accused the national government of taking credit for the market, which he says was funded by the county government and the World Bank. The five-storey facility has more than 3,000 stalls.

The governor has insisted that the national government did not contribute to the project and threatened to remove Ruto’s plaque from the facility.

Ruto has disputed the claim, saying the market had stalled for four years before his administration stepped in and mobilised almost KSh 1 billion to complete it. At the launch, he gave KSh 15 million to 1,500 traders who had been displaced and warned beneficiaries against selling their stalls.

The political dispute has since extended to the Kitale Level 5 Hospital, a 500-bed facility being developed on county land. The Kenya Defence Forces has taken over the project, while President Ruto has pledged KSh 1 billion toward its construction.

Natembeya has criticised the hospital project, arguing that the county was not adequately involved despite the facility being built on county land. He has also announced plans to visit the site.

The governor previously warned that he would not back down despite possible arrest, while the Interior Cabinet Secretary cautioned him against disrupting national government projects.

Footage recorded in Kitale showed GSU trucks, armed officers and barricades surrounding the county headquarters and Masinde Muliro Business Park. Water cannons were also reportedly deployed as security agencies prepared for possible unrest.

The standoff has deepened the political disagreement between Natembeya and the national government, with authorities urging calm as security officers maintain a heavy presence in the town.

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