You lack the moral right referring to the Hospital built by taxpayers money as ‘’ Shakahola’’, Natembeya to Ruto

By: DAVID MUSUNDI/ ELVIS WASIKE | 7th Nov 2026 |

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has hit back at President William Ruto’s  Shakahola label by showcasing successful, complex spinal surgeries performed at the Wamalwa Kijana teaching and Referral Hospital .

Governor Natembeya announced that the team of local surgeons successfully completed two intricate spinal procedures on young patients.

He used this clinical milestone to directly counter allegations made by the President that the facility lacks proper care capabilities, stating that the successful outcomes reaffirm his administration’s resolve to strengthen specialized local healthcare.

The public feud between the President and the Governor escalated in October this year, 2026 when President Ruto toured Governor Nate Mbeya’s home tuff to inspect projects which included the Masinde Muliro trading complex built by the County Government of Trans Nzoia without any input by the National Government.

The President criticized the state of healthcare in Trans Nzoia , Mockingly noting that locals refered to the County Referral Hospital as Shakahola because patients who go there allegedly ‘’ do not return alive’’, a matter Governor Natembeya termed foolhardy for a person of the stature of the President to mislead  the people.

Ruto went ahead to accuse the Governor of mismanaging health funds and prioritizing political grandstanding through his TAWE Movement over buying essential mediciones, even jokingly claiming that the governor was investing in coffins instead of healthcare.

The County boss in a rejoinder fiercely rejected the characterization and the ‘’ Shakahola label by bringing forward direct proof of the Referral and Teaching Hospital’s high-level medical performance.

Dr. Natembeya showcased a team of local surgeons who successfully performed two highly advanced spinal and orthopedic surgeries on young, injured patients at the County’s Teaching and referral Hospital.

The Governor cited these complex procedures as definitive evidence that the facility is expanding its specialized care capacity, directly countering the narrative that it is a ‘’ death zone’’.

The Governor argued that health is a fully devolved function under Kenyan law.

He accused Ruto of staging empty political public relations stunts, using national machinery including the military to overstep constitutional boundaries and undermining county leadership ahead of the 10th august, 2027 elections.

The standoff between the President and Natembeya who has been declared the Linda Mwananchi presidential Coordinator remains a central flashpoint in the regional political feud, with the Governor continuing to rally local support against the national government encroachment on development projects.

The procedures performed by a team led by Professor Ferdinand Nang’ole included a Posterior Instrumented Fusion on a 21-year-old man who sustained a traumatic spinal injury following a road traffic accident.

They also performed Cervical Lateral Mass Screw Fixation on an 18-year-old female patient who suffered a cervical spine injury in a similar accident.

In another procedure conducted on Wednesday, surgeons carried out a Cemented Total Knee Arthroplasty on a 71-year-old woman who had been living with osteoarthritis for approximately three years.