Orange Democratic Movement party leader, Raila Odinga, expressed concern about the disruptions that led to his departure from an event in Lodwar, Turkana on Friday. He pointed fingers at President William Ruto, alleging that the disturbances were orchestrated after Ruto’s visit to the region and the launch of the Turkana Festival, during which he reportedly rallied local leaders against Odinga.
According to Odinga, Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai, who had recently switched allegiance from ODM to Ruto, played a role in preventing him from speaking at the event. Odinga accused Lomorukai of colluding with Ruto to obstruct his participation.
In response, Odinga promised Turkana residents that he would return for a significant political rally, undeterred by the challenges and open opposition he encountered. During a press briefing, he stated, “We have substantial plans as Azimio for this region, which we should begin implementing.” Odinga assured the audience that he did not require permission to visit Turkana and was committed to promoting significant developments in the region, although he did not specify how this would be achieved as a political outsider.
Odinga was escorted away from the event due to disruptions caused by a group of Jubilee politicians from Turkana. This situation carried a touch of irony as Jubilee is a sister party to the Azimio Coalition, which Odinga leads. Turkana leaders accused Odinga of neglecting the region and openly pledged their support to Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a move that did not sit well with the crowd.
After order was restored, Odinga addressed the constituents outside the event venue, outlining his future plans. His initial intent was to deliver keynote speeches on devolution, emphasizing its benefits and the need for its enhancement to foster development in the devolved units.
The Turkana Festival, now in its seventh edition, celebrates the culture of the Turkana people and highlights the region as the cradle of mankind. President Ruto and other leaders attended the festival in Lodwar Town on October 12, 2023.
