Kenya: Natembeya Wanted By NCIC Over Ethnic Contempt Against Minority Sabaot

20 November 2023
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Bruhan Makong

Nairobi — The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has summoned Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya over ethnic contempt against the minority Sabaot community.

In a statement on Monday, NCIC cited Natembeya for contravening Sections 13(1) and 62(1) of NCIC Act.

Natembeya is also accused of directing targeted hate messages towards his Deputy, Philomena Kapkory, who hails from the minority Sabaot tribe.

The summons follows grievances from members of the Sabaot community, alleging discrimination in employment and asserting that most opportunities favor dominant communities.

The NCIC's investigation commenced after Kapkory reported threats she faced on October 3.

"In her statement, she claimed that her trouble began when the Sabaot Community began the petitioning for a County of their own," NCIC said in a status update of an ongoing probe.

"The meeting by leaders and elders from Sabaot was to discuss matter touching on the proposed creation of a county for members of the Sabaot community," the commission explained.

In her complaints, Kapkory alleged that Natembeya is opposed to the creation of a county for Sabaots, and that the county chief on record stating that the "Sabaots were dreaming and they will not get any county despite their petition to the National Dialogue Committee, requesting for the creation of County for Sabaots."

Sabaot county proposal

She further reported that on the August 23, the Governor stated that the Sabaot should be satisfied with the positions that they have in the County of Trans Nzoia and should stop petitioning for their own county.

"He further went on to state that not even an inch of Trans Nzoia would be hived off to form another county, insinuating that the Sabaot are greedy," NCIC added.

As a consequence of Natembeya's remarks, Kapkory said she had been subjected to frequent attacks on social media platforms, including Facebook.

NCIC investigators traveled to Trans Nzoia County to probe the deputy governor's complaints.

The commission sent a Request Letter to the Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK) seeking the retrieval of Natembeya's recorded utterances.

NCIC asked Natembeya to appear before the commission on November 28 at 10am.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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