Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has criticised Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, accusing him of opposing a Sh1 billion hospital project amid an escalating dispute over development and the constitutional roles of national and county governments.
Speaking during President William Ruto’s Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) service in Kapsabet, Nandi County, on Sunday, Murkomen condemned an alleged plan by Natembeya to mobilise residents to demonstrate against the hospital project.
“I have never seen that level of stupidity, Your Excellency. You know, people are begging, people are really begging for health facilities. Others are saying, ati watafanya maandamano kupinga maendeleo. What a shame!” Murkomen said.
The Interior CS argued that the project would help address healthcare challenges facing residents and described it as part of a referral healthcare facility programme that would be mentored by Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Murkomen urged President Ruto to continue investing in public services, arguing that political disagreements should not stand in the way of projects intended to improve the lives of ordinary Kenyans.
Murkomen’s attack comes amid an increasingly public confrontation between Ruto and Natembeya over the national government’s development plans in Trans Nzoia.
During a visit to the county on October 10, Ruto accused the governor of obstructing government projects, saying political differences had delayed the construction of a hospital. The President also criticised the county’s healthcare services and pledged to support the completion of stalled infrastructure.
The disagreement has since extended to the planned upgrade of Kitale Level 5 Hospital, Kenyatta Stadium and the Masinde Muliro Market in Kitale.
On October 17, Natembeya vowed to resist construction of the hospital, arguing that the national government was interfering with functions constitutionally assigned to county governments. He maintained that his objection was about the division of responsibilities, rather than opposition to healthcare development itself.
The governor has also challenged the President’s involvement in projects he says were funded or implemented by the county government and other partners. He has accused the national administration of using development announcements to gain political advantage ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Ruto, meanwhile, has defended his administration’s involvement, arguing that residents should not be denied development because of political disagreements. He has pledged to intervene in stalled projects, including the stadium, and provide additional support for healthcare infrastructure.
At the centre of the disagreement is the management and development of public health facilities. County governments are responsible for county health services, including county hospitals and dispensaries, while the national government manages national referral facilities and has broader responsibilities for health policy.
The two levels of government can cooperate on infrastructure and service delivery, but disagreements over project implementation, funding and control can complicate that relationship.
Natembeya has argued that the national government should consult his administration and respect county responsibilities. Ruto’s position, as reflected in his recent public remarks, is that national investment should proceed where he believes projects are needed and have stalled.
The dispute has therefore moved beyond the proposed hospital to become a wider political contest over development, devolution and leadership in Trans Nzoia.
At the Kapsabet service, Murkomen praised Ruto’s development record, citing infrastructure investments in areas he described as historically underserved.
He also called for cooperation between national and county leaders, arguing that public projects should prioritise residents’ needs rather than political rivalries.
The service came as Ruto continues with his North Rift tour ahead of Mashujaa Day celebrations scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the dispute over the hospital has become another flashpoint in the relationship between the President and the opposition-aligned governor.