Blow as Jubilee legislator joins ODM ahead of polls

Turkana Central Mp John Lodepe Nakara addresses journalists at Parklands Baptist Church on the Security Situation in Turkana during the Community's Peace Day.PHOTO:EVANS HABIL

Jubilee suffered a blow at the weekend when Turkana Central MP John Lodepe (right) defected to ODM in the ongoing political realignments ahead of the next elections.

ODM leader Raila Odinga, who was flanked by Governor Josephat Nanok, also received National Irrigation Board boss Malik Ekal, who is eyeing the senatorial seat on the party's ticket. Prof Ekal will be up against, among others, county assembly Speaker Geoffrey Kaituko.

Current senator John Munyes, who left Ford Kenya for Jubilee last year, will face Mr Nanok, who hopes to retain his seat in in the August elections.

Deputy governor Peter Ekai has also ditched the opposition for Jubilee after falling out with the governor.

Loima MP Protus Akuja, who was elected on an ODM ticket, and his Turkana East counterpart Nicholas Ng'ikor, who was elected on Ford Kenya, have also shifted camp and joined the President Kenyatta-led Jubilee Party.