Why Turkana Remains Politically Unsettled With the Possible Re-election of President Ruto in 2027.
BY JAPETH MAESTRO ERUKON
First, the continued abandonment of UDA founding members in Turkana has created serious dissatisfaction. Leaders such as Epuyo Nanok, a third-term MP; Dr. Akuja, a second-term MP now aspiring for governor; Turkana Central MP Namuar; and former MP & former speaker Chris Nakuleu have all found themselves on the receiving end of Governor Napotikan’s political machinery, backed by President Ruto’s machinery to get rid of them.
The recent stripping of Majority Leader Hon. Edukon Stephen and Majority Whip Hon. Etubon of their responsibilities under instructions of Lomorukai in the guise of concurrence of the UDA Party from their leadership roles has only deepened divisions within the UDA in Turkana.
Second, Turkana professionals serving in different government cadres, especially at middle and lower levels, continue to feel excluded despite the county strongly supporting President Ruto. For instance, Turkana Central and Turkana North each delivered over 10,000 votes to Ruto, yet employment opportunities and government appointments remain significantly lacking compared to constituencies such as Turkana East and Turkana South, which recorded significantly lower votes at 1,338 and 2,887, respectively. The lesson drawn from this is that a region must vote against President Ruto to be rewarded. The reward analysis indicates that supporting the President and the UDA makes one the least attractive for future considerations for rewards such as employment and infrastructural development
Third, the president’s inability or unwillingness to call Governor Napotikan to order continues to raise concern. It affirms that whatever bad things Governor Lomorukai is doing against former UDA leaders has the blessing of the president. It is no secret that following the resignation of former Speaker Nakuleu, the governor has maintained near-total control of the Turkana County Assembly. This has allegedly resulted in the dismissal of employees aligned to the former speaker, the majority of whom voted for H. E. President Ruto. While at the same time, the county government continues to recruit beyond the ceiling without any interviews or adverts and sustains individuals linked to the governor’s political campaigns.
Recommendations to President William Ruto:
1. The President must urgently restore order in UDA leadership in Turkana County and ensure that founding members are respected instead of being politically persecuted
2. Government appointments and employment opportunities should reflect the fairness of a proportionate merit system to voting patterns across all Turkana constituencies to avoid the perception of selective reward and punishment. As it is, rebellion is being rewarded against loyalty
3. The national leadership should strengthen oversight in Turkana County to protect institutions such as the County Assembly from intimidation or political capture.
4. President Ruto should directly engage the people of Turkana through consultative forums instead of relying entirely on a few local power brokers who may not reflect the true mood on the ground.
5. Development promises made to Turkana during the 2022 campaigns should be visibly implemented to restore public confidence and political goodwill ahead of 2027.
Many residents now feel that loyalty to the national government has not translated into fairness, inclusion, or political goodwill for all sections of Turkana County. The observable situation is that all the senior politicians, once aligned to the president, have now kept mum about mentioning the name of the president or UDA in public forums for fear of backlash from the electorate due to growing voter hostility towards the regime.
It’s also interpreted that the misdeeds by the current governor to the people have the blessing of the president, and hence, the actions of Governor Lomorukai have diminished the possibility of President Ruto being voted for.
