- George Natembeya shared an image of a mock whisky label bearing his name after President William Ruto mocked him at a rally
- Ruto had ridiculed Sifuna at a West Pokot rally, claiming the politician was last spotted drinking strong spirits after launching his new party
- Natembeya captioned the post with a pointed dig, saying the drink was distilled and blended for those who lead, not those who beg
Nancy Odindo is a current affairs writer at Tuko.co.ke (joined in 2023). She has one year of experience in print and more than five years in digital media.
Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya has fired back at President William Ruto with a satirical social media post, sharing an image of a fictional whisky label named "Johnie Natembeya Premium" after the head of state mocked Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna over alcohol at a public rally.
Source: Facebook
Natembeya posted the image on Wednesday, October 14, on X (formerly Twitter), captioning it with a direct retort: "Hii ni Johnie Natembeya Premium… distilled & blended for those who lead, not for those who beg!"
Kenyans react to the online jibe
Natembeya's post drew mixed responses from Kenyans on X.
@JEREMIAHKOECH3 questioned the political use of alcohol imagery, writing: "There is no pride in alcohol when it has afflicted the nation. Politicians cannot use it for politics when real attention is needed."
@Kiprono1344683 took aim at the governor's caption, posting: "Unasema distilled and blended for those who lead not looters and killers ooh woow... It's getting messier."
@KavayaDorice addressed Natembeya directly, saying, "Commando don't even prove to Kasongo anything; in fact, huwa anatupima ameokoka na alijuaje hii kit ni kali, pia true ni mlevi chini ya maji."
One user, @mwanaa_sarah, saw commercial potential in the exchange: "This should be a business opportunity. Just start it and call it George Natembeya: Premium Tears of Freedom."
The back-and-forth marks the latest escalation between Natembeya and President Ruto, whose rivalry has intensified since the governor launched his political vehicle and aligned himself with opposition forces ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Source: Twitter
What Ruto said at the West Pokot rally
The exchange stems from remarks Ruto made during a development rally in West Pokot, where he took aim at Sifuna following the senator's launch of a new political party.
The president described Sifuna as "Mr. Empty" and suggested the party launch had immediately been followed by a drinking session.
"We saw another one, Mr. Empty. He went to launch a political party called The Empty Party. From there, he went straight to a bar. The last time we saw him, he was with Koffi Olomidé. The table was full of those strong drinks with double names. I don't know, Johnnie Walker, Jack whatever, Johnie Natembeya, or whatever it's called," Ruto said, adding, "The man himself is empty, the party is empty, and the only thing left is alcohol."
Is Natembeya Ruto's agent?
In other news, People's Renaissance Movement leader Caleb Amisi vowed to pursue Ruto's impeachment if he wins re-election in 2027.
Amisi also warned that opposition leaders could face impeachment if elected and later abused their power, while arguing that divisions among them could help Ruto return to office.
Further, he alleged that Natembeya is a covert operative working on behalf of Ruto to destroy the Linda Mwananchi Movement from within.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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