Turkana Governor, Josephat Nanok, has shifted camps once again after he assured ODM leader, Raila Odinga, of his loyalty to the party.
Nanok, who was speaking at the Turkana Cultural Festival in Lodwar Town, on Wednesday, also maintained that he was still the vice chair of the party, despite being replaced by Loima MP, Jeremiah Lomorukai.
Earlier this year the governor had announced his support for Deputy President William Ruto's 2022 presidential bid.
The governors' latest move follows a public spat that he had engaged in with Odinga in the same venue.
The county head further told the former premier of the immense respect he has always had for him and the party, adding that he had learned so much about politics from the enigma.
While speaking about the Building Bridges Initiative, Nanok assured Raila of his support, if the referendum favoured Turkana residents and he would report directly to him if they felt aggrieved.
“I respect you. I learnt a lot about politics from you. We were in the same party and even up to now, I will continue respecting you,” the governor stated.
He further explained that the party’s process of impeaching him from the vice chair post was not complete, thus he was still in charge.
The two leaders had earlier been involved in a public spat, at the same function, over what the county head described as discrimination from the party.
Governor Nanok, who spoke first, accused Odinga of sharing the benefits of his relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta among some of his closest allies and leaving out many others.
When Raila rose to speak, he addressed the remarks made by the angry governor.
"He said he doesn’t know why he was ousted...Didn’t he admit that he had crossed over to the other side? Didn’t he claim that our well had run dry? Didn’t he state that he would draw water from the other side? Truth or false?
"He left on his own accord but if he wants to come back, the door is open. He admitted that he has left us and joined our competitors. That’s why we decided that if he was fed up, he could have a rest," Odinga explained.
