Ruto in drought-hit Turkana, Raila heads to western on vote hunt mission

juma chrispinus

January 27, 2017 3:54 PM

Hundreds in Turkana face ghosts of death. Already dozens of livestock have succumbed to severe drought.

Deputy President William Ruto Friday took his drum beat for mass voter registration in the hunger stricken Turkana County in North Eastern, amid claims of negligence by Jubilee administration from the locals.

Mr. Ruto is currently at Lokori in Turkana County, where he is expected to addresses residents.

Turkana County has been on the limelight following severe drought and famine affecting the area. The nomadic inhabited county is currently facing an acute shortage of water and animal feed, forcing most residents to wander around looking for water and pasture.

Despite this dire state, however, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, IEBC, is conducting a mass voter registration exercise and Deputy President William Ruto is in the region to remind residents of the same.

Political gimmick

Governor Nanok is bracing for a tougher tug of war brought about by the current senator John Munyes who left Ford-Kenya, for Jubilee last year to contest for governor of Turkana in August polls.

Mr. Munyes joined a surging list of senators who have expressed interest in various gubernatorial seats. Turkana County is currently under the leadership of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) diehard, Governor Josephat Nanok.

Meanwhile, opposition chief Raila Odinga has taken his drive for mass voter registration to Kakamega County, just four days after the Deputy President was heckled and forced to change his itinerary in the neighboring Bungoma and Trans Nzoia Counties, which forced the DP to change his itenerary.

Ugly chaos

Last year, Raila Odinga during his tour in the region, chaos erupted at Shibale shopping centre in Mumias when he visited to console victims of police brutality. Raila was forced to take off after youth turned violent, accusing him of neglecting the victims during the time they were beaten and terrorised by police.

He was accompanied by Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya. Raila was on his way from Bungoma to Kakamega. Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali and former ODM youth leader Rashid Mohammed had organised the meeting.

juma chrispinus