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Raila suffers major blow after 30 ODM politicians led by North Eastern Governor defect to Jubilee

Marsabit Governor Ukur Yatani on Tuesday led for four MPs and 25 MCAs to State House where they were received by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Marsabit Governor Ukur Yatani with MPs and MCAs at State House where they were received by President Uhuru Kenyatta

The Governor said he was decamping from ODM to another party, Frontier Alliance Party, which supports the re-election of President Kenyatta. This effectively means that Marsabit has no opposition since the incumbent governor and the aspiring governor are all on the same side.

“We have decided to leave the opposition because the people of Marsabit are very grateful for the work you have done for us including the construction of the tarmac road,” said Mr Yattani.

On his part, President Kenyatta said he appreciates the position taken by the Marsabit Governor, MPs, MCAs and their supporters.

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He assured them that he will not interfere with the choice the people of Marsabit will make because all of the candidates for Governor, MP and MCAs will be lining up behind him.

“You are all mine and I promise you there will be no interference and as you compete do it in a civilised manner because at the end of the day the winner will be ours and the loser will still be ours,” said the President.

The defection comes barely days after President Uhuru Kenyatta received another host of senior politicians into his fold during a whirlwind tour of the Coast region.

Over the weekend, During Kenyatta’s visit to the Coast region, a number of leaders from the opposition defected to Jubilee.

Coast defectors

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From Tana River County, Governor Hussein Dado decamped from Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper party, to Jubilee, saying he wanted a coalition with a track record.

Other leaders who have since joined Jubilee from the opposition are Deputy governors Hazel Katana (Mombasa), Kenneth Kamto (Kilifi) and Fatuma Mohammed Achani (Kwale), Women Representatives Zainab Chidzuga (Kwale), Joyce Lay (Taita Taveta) and Halima Ware (Tana River).

Jubilee also officially received Members of Parliament Dan Mwazo (senator Taita Taveta), Gideon Mung'aro (Kilifi North), Mustafa Idd (Kilifi South), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga), Peter Shehe (Ganze), Masoud Mwahima (Likoni) and a host of Members of County Assembly from the six counties of the Coast region, who had earlier defected.

This now brings to half, the number of governors to have defected from the opposition to join JP.

“We welcome these forward looking leaders who have decided to join us in developing this region. In Jubilee, we are saying we want to work with respectful leaders like Dado and Mvurya who know they were elected to serve not to lord it over the electorate,” President Kenyatta said.

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