Former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya has said he will not be moving to the Office of the President days after resigning from the police service.
This follows the transfers and deployments that were announced by Interior Principal (PS) Secretary Karanja Kibicho on Wednesday, December 12.
The communication happened shortly after Natembeya announced that he had quit the service and will now be plunging into politics where he is eyeing the Trans Nzoia governor seat.
In a letter signed by Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, Natembeya was deployed to the Office of the President Headquarters.
However, in an interview with a local television, Natembeya revealed that he won’t be moving to the Office of the President as directed since he has enough leave days to exhaust while serving his notice period.
“I’ve resigned from the government, and I’m not taking the new position at the President’s office. I have enough leave days to serve notice,” he said.
Natembeya was redeployed to a new job hours after announcing his resignation.
Hours after he announced his resignation to join elective politics in the next General Election, Natembeya, 51, was replaced by the Makueni County Commissioner, Mohammed Ahmed Maalim.
Natembeya resigned after 26 years of public service to focus on his bid for Trans Nzoia governorship.
He becomes the first high-ranking government official to resign from office and officially join the political world.
Though he is the first, there are several civil servants including Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Head of State Corporations among others who are expected to resign to focus on politics in the coming weeks.
These state officers, according to the law, are expected to resign from public office six months before the date of the election.
Natembeya is seeking to succeed Governor Patrick Khaemba who is serving his last term as Trans Nzoia Governor.
He will, however, face Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa, long-serving Khaemba cabinet member and Finance executive Boniface Wanyonyi, and Trans-Nzoia Woman Representative Janet Nangabo.
Others competing for the same seat include former Agriculture executive Andrew Wanyonyi, businessman Moses Khaoya and Philemon Samoei.
