Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa has endorsed immediate former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya for the Trans Nzoia gubernatorial seat.
"Leo tumesema hatutaendelea kukwama na Ford-Kenya tuko hapa kutembea," Wamalwa said on Thursday.
Wamalwa who is in the DAP-K party urged the voters to walk the talk with Natembeya.
"This is the Natembeya team," he said as the crowd got excited in Western.
Natembeya resigned from his job on Wednesday to focus on his Trans Nzoia gubernatorial bid.
The former Rift Valley regional commissioner hanged his boots after 26 years of public service.
Natembeya on Wednesday said his resignation is in readiness for his political ambition as Trans Nzoia governor in the August polls.
The commissioner spoke at his office boardroom in Nakuru, flanked by all 14 county commissioners from Rift Valley
The long-serving administrator said he was proceeding on terminal leave during which he will officially hand over the office to his successor as required by law.
While declaring his shift to politics, Natembeya said he served the public wholeheartedly.
The region has a myriad of challenges ranging from banditry attacks, cattle rustling, ethnic conflicts due to land and water issues and retrogressive cultures such as FGM.
It also faces external aggression by communities in the neighbouring countries of Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia mainly caused by cattle rustling.