This archive report was first published on 1 September 2019.
September 1, 2019 - Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok has rejoined the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, following failed attempts by Deputy President William Ruto's camp to have him switch allegiance.
The move comes as a surprise to many, given Nanok's earlier declaration of support for Ruto in the 2022 elections. However, sources close to the governor reveal that Ruto's camp had ulterior motives, seeking to exploit Turkana's oil reserves and influence the county's revenue sharing.
According to insiders, Nanok was aware of the DP's intentions and grew cold feet, opting instead to pledge loyalty to Raila Odinga and the ODM party during the Turkana Festival last month.
Since then, Nanok has avoided attending DP Ruto's events, signaling a clear break from the DP's camp.
"Nanok is a wealthy man. He has been targeted for quite a while and there are powerful people in government and Deputy President's office who wanted to use their influence to own part of the oil fields in Turkana, with the governor's help," says an insider on condition of anonymity.
