Is Raila grooming Otwoma to succeed Ojaamong as Busia Governor? – Weekly Citizen

The 2022 succession war for Busia governor’s seat is now between two dominant communities.
According to sources, ODM leader has been sucked into the wars as it is emerging that after the Teso community two term deal, he wants a Luhya to take over in 2022. Raila new found political love between himself and former cabinet minister Paul Otwoma has sent tongues wagging.
Recently, before he visited Francis Atwoli at his Kajiado residence during Easter festivities, Raila held talks with Kanu leader Gideon Moi at Otwoma’s Karen residence before being driven to Cotu boss private function. According to sources, Raila is out to have Otwoma succeed Ojamoong. Raila was instrumental in Otwoma appointment to the cabinet during the Mwai Kibaki era coalition government.

Raila and Atwoli

Otwoma opposed Ojamoong in 2017 due to the Luhya factor at play then. In fact it is said, Luhyas who are majority in the county wanted one of their own as governor and prevailed upon Otwoma to stand. When he lost in ODM nominations to Ojamoong in what was said to be power games at party secretariat, he ran as an independent candidate.

Now, Otwoma has managed to be back in ODM fold thanks to emerging James Orengo factor in Raila inner core. Orengo was among those with Raila at Atwoli residence.
The debate in the county is, Teso should not field a face in 2022 race as Ojaamong’ a Teso will not be legible to stand having done two terms.Pushing for Luhya factor are Nambale MP Sakwa Bunyasi and Matayos’ Geoffrey Odanga.

Geofrey Odanga

But a section of Teso community strategists say, the Luhya community will field dozens of candidates and if they field one, they will recapture the seat again. Ojamoong is slowly backing the idea of a Teso taking over from him.
In 2017, the move of having many aspirants from Luhya side was the underlying factor behind the lose.
Reports indicate, an MoU between the two exists and need to be honoured. However, Teso argue, Otuoma broke the MoU by opposing Ojamoong hence useless.

Vincent Sidai now a senior manager at Kenya Ports Authority allied to Deputy president William Ruto camp who was in 2017 gubernatorial race also a Teso is against the talk.MP Oku Kaunya, Teso North MP has also dimissed the so-called MoU between the Luhya and Teso before or after the 2013 elections.
Sidai is out to succeed Ojaamong in 2022.
Although secretly backing a Teso, in open Ojamoong wants a Marachi where his deputy deputy Moses Mulomi originates to take over. Mulomi is eyeing the seat. Woman representative Florence Mutua also is in Ojaamong’s calculations.

The list of Luhyas eyeing the plum county seat keeps on growing day and night. They are deputy governor Mulomi, Mutua, Bunyasi, Odanga and Agricultural Finance Corporation managing director Lucas Meso. Meso factor is gaining ground complicating issues for Otwoma. Mutua is a force on ground and is bound to benefit from Ojamoong, Otwoma fallout.

Florence Mutua

Ojamoong has sworn not to back Otwoma, who went independent after he lost in the party’s primaries.
Others in the 2017 race was broke former National Irrigation Board boss Daniel Barasa who was on Jubilee Party and Ford-Kenya candidate Michael Oloo. Barasa is facing financial woes after former Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a he married as second wife fleeced his fortunes.
Busia has seven constituencies with Luhya, Iteso and Luo communities occupying the small county.
During the 2017 voter registration, Teso South had 61,342, registered voters, Butula (57,685), Matayos (56,841), Teso North (49,833), Funyula (44,671), Nambale (42,259) and Budalang’i (38,417).
The deputy governor Mulomi is from Butula. Ojamoong dropped his then deputy Kizito Wangalwa to pick Mulomi.
Wangalwa was to join Otwoma camp during the polls. Otwoma picked former district commissioner Solomon Abwaku a Teso as his running mate. Abwaku isfrom Teso North subcounty and is to remain his running mate 2022.
In 2017, then majority leader Josephat Wandera and deputy speaker Mose Ote supported Otuoma.
In the elections, all the three opponents of Ojaamong in ODM nominations were Luhya, leaving the governor as the sole candidate from Teso