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Embattled Turkana Speaker Nakuleu resigns, blames woes on relief food supplies queries
Turkana County Assembly Speaker Christopher Nakuleu when he appeared before the Senate standing Committee on Finance and budget to consider recruitment expenditure budget ceilings for the financial year 2023/2024 at Parliament Buildings on April 4, 2023.
Turkana County Speaker Christopher Nakuleu has bowed to political pressure and resigned from the office amid an ongoing impeachment bid, but vowed to keep Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai and the country executive on their toes.
Mr Nakuleu, a former two-term Turkana North Member of Parliament, now claims his queries over relief food supplies procured by the Turkana County government cost him the Speaker's job after the issue was politicized.
He said he was resigning because he felt the County Assembly's oversight role had been seriously compromised, and the Governor has resisted accounting for public funds and resources.
Last week, Turkana MCAs endorsed an impeachment motion against their Speaker, accusing him of gross misconduct and incompetence.
His attempts to stop the process after seeking a court injunction on procedural flaw grounds hit a snag, as the MCAs endorsed the motion overwhelmingly after daylong discussions.
Presiding Speaker Samwel Aliwo consequently directed the establishment of a seven-member committee to investigate the allegations against Mr Nakuleu within seven days.
Mr Nakuleu’s ally, Lapur MCA Michael Ewoi who was part of the committee said that 'the impeachment process was politically instigated with the outcome already predetermined'.
The Speaker now claims his troubles began when he questioned why beans were missing from the relief food procured by the county government.
"I feel I should cede space in the County Assembly so that I should be in a position to fully check the Governor and make sure that he delivers for the people of Turkana. My position as Speaker had a few constraints where I could not criticize the Governor openly based on it being a core leader of another government organ, therefore I have tendered my resignation as the Speaker," he announced on Tuesday evening.
Mr Nakuleu claimed that since raising queries on relief food, he realized that the Governor wanted to usurp the oversight role alongside his constitutional executive role.
"In this regard, I have stood firm that the Governor needs to be subjected to oversight by MCAs and other politicians since he is appropriating money on behalf of the people of Turkana. That is why you have seen a serious altercation between MCAs and the governor, as well as the Speaker and the Governor based on the county leader not accepting to be subjected to oversight," Mr Nakuleu said.
He alleged that the Governor has to date not given a response on the whereabouts of the beans.
"The Governor must work round the clock to respond to that. Now that I am in the position I have decided to be, he must account for public funds. I will be able to effectively advocate for the rights of the Turkana people," the Speaker vowed.
He said that his decision is not influenced by his political party (UDA), but a result of ‘serious consultation with the electorate, promising to work closely with a section of MCAs, as well as the MPs for Turkana North, Loima, Turkana West and Turkana South and Senator James Lomenen.
Last December, Mr Nakuleu accompanied Governor Lomorukai on a delegation to the 19th Ethiopian Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Day in Abra Minch, Ethiopia.
On their return, the duo had been scheduled for a development tour in Turkana North Constituency, where Mr Nakuleu served as a two-term MP before being defeated by the incumbent Ekwom Nabuin in 2022, opting for the speaker's post which he won unopposed.
It has never been clear to locals how the two who were first pictured distributing relief food together parted ways before a clip of the Speaker questioning why beans were not a commodity during relief food distribution surfaced.
Since then, there has been a back-and-forth political confrontation that saw the Speaker who had enjoyed the backing of a majority of members of the MCAs left with just a handful of supporters in the House.
He says it dawned on him that he was a wanted man after the impeachment bid was mooted, and a motion moved by Kalokol MCA Michael Epem last Tuesday.
The Speaker who was represented by his lawyer Vincent Oloo appeared before the impeachment select committee protesting that he wasn't served with notice of the motion, and didn't get sufficient time to file his defense and an opportunity to cross-examine the motion mover.
Lobei/Kotaruk MCA Mr Anarclet Lemuya termed it unfortunate that the executive interfered with the operations of the assembly ‘to the extent that it can't deliver on its functions.’
"The Speaker has been hounded out of office by selfish MCAs and county executives that don't want to be held accountable," Mr Lemuya claimed.
Lokichar MCA Samwel Lomodo asked the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the procurement process of relief food and ensure that all funds allocated are accounted for.
Turkana South MP Ariko Namoit said the Speaker’s resignation was a true testament and reflection of how Turkana MCAs have gone to bed with the executive arm of the County Government of Turkana.
"I want to condemn in the strongest terms possible, the character exhibited by the Governor of Turkana County in setting a bad precedent as far as the County leadership is concerned," Dr Namoit said.
