Turkana voters sent home 24 MCAs, retained only six

Lodwar Township MCA Elect Ruth Kuya addressing journalists on August 16, 2022. She is the only female MCA elected in Turkana

Lodwar Township MCA-Elect Elect Ruth Kuya addressing journalists on August 16, 2022. She is the only female MCA elected in Turkana County in this year's general elections.

Photo credit: Sammy Lutta | Nation Media Group

Voters in Turkana County sent home 24 members of the county assembly (MCAs) and retained only six.

The six who survived the wave are Stephen Edukon (Turkwel), James Ikeny (Kanam Kemer), Patrick Napion (Kaeris), Bethwel Kobongin (Songot) and Michael Ewoi (Lapur), all re-elected under the United Democratic Alliance party.

The Orange Democratic Movement's Willy Nalimo also retained the Kapedo/Napeitom seat.

Nominated MCA Alany Lonyait captured the Kangatotha seat, while former nominated MCA Ruth Kuya took Lodwar Township, both on UDA tickets. Mr Vincent Ekipor (Jubilee) recaptured the Lokichoggio seat he lost in 2017.

Ms Kuya will be the only elected female MCA in the Turkana County Assembly.  Ms Leah Nachere was the only female MCA elected in 2017, but she lost her Lakezone seat to Michael Egelian (UDA). In 2013, voters did not elect any female MCA.

UDA won the highest number of seats (18), while Jubilee took five, ODM three and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Ford Kenya one each. Two independents won their races.

Ms Kuya said she will bank on the UDA majority to push her plans to defend the rights of women, young people and people with disabilities.

"I promise to represent the interests of all men and women in Lodwar Township and the county as a whole without bias for the trust they bestowed in me though I’m a woman," she said.

Mr Simon Elimlim, a resident of Kawalase village, said they needed a new representative in the assembly after outgoing MCA Robert Lowoko failed to fight for their interests and solve perennial water shortages.

"Unfulfilled water provision promises that left us relying on scoop holes at the Kawalase seasonal river or buying water forced us to change our MCA," Mr Elimlim said.

The river only fills up when it rains in northern Uganda or in some parts of Loima sub-county.