Image: EMOJONG OSERE
Image: EMOJONG OSERE
Image: EMOJONG OSERE
Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong’s change of tone during an Azimio la Umoja rally on March 25 when ODM leader Raila Odinga toured Teso North did not come as a surprise.
In his ordinary interactions, the county chief speaks soft – rarely delivering his preferred off-the-cuff speeches in more than 10 minutes. This, however, was not the case during the grand Azimio rally at Acunet Stadium in Malaba.
Speaker after speaker, the former Amagoro MP calmly sat next to Raila.
When he took the microphone to address the crowd, the governor coated a different colour of his past. The tone, the choice of words and the repetitive way in which he made his remarks painted a picture of a man visualising beyond 2022.
Aggressive in his speech and straight to the point, Ojaamong declared he was ready to remain relevant in Busia politics.
He boldly told Raila to allow him to manage the ODM nominations in the county where Woman Representative Florence Mutua, former Funyula MP Paul Otuoma and Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi are expected to tussle out in the ODM primaries.
He also warned outsiders to stop meddling in the political affairs of the border county.
Lawyer Vitalis Omulepu in an interview with the Star said Ojaamong’s deep involvement in Busia’s succession politics may not be different from political developments in other counties where governors are serving their second and last terms.
“Majority of second term governors in Kenya are fighting hard to influence their succession,” Omulepu said.
“As their time at the helm of the county governance comes to an end, they would not want to have anything bad that happened in their regimes to come back to haunt them if an unfriendly successor assumes office.”
In 2020, the county chief had indicated he would support Mulomi’s bid for governorship.
He said his close working relationship with his deputy had proven that Mulomi can pick from where he left in matters leadership in Busia.
The tune, however, changed in 2021 when he called on Busia residents to support Mutua’s bid for the county’s top seat.
During the Azimio rally in Malaba, the governor appeared to mediate between Mutua and her archrival Otuoma.
He offered to bring the two leaders to a roundtable meeting where they will agree on whom to carry the ODM flag during the August polls.
Both Ojaamong and Otuoma took part in the ODM nominations ahead of the 2017 general election. Otuoma was controversially defeated.
“Otuoma is my brother and we are working together. Florence Mutua is my friend and I love her too and the deputy governor is also my very good friend,” Ojaamong said.
“I want to sit with them even at Otuoma’s home. What we do not want is for outsiders to interfere with our political business in Busia. Respect is important. I want Raila to allow us to conduct nominations. We will help him do the nominations and we will deliver all MP seats [in Busia] to ODM.”
Sources within Busia say the governor, as of Tuesday, prefers Mutua to succeed him.
Otuoma, however, is a force no one can ignore and the county chief is aware that the Privatisation Commission chairman can pull a shocker in the elections and succeed him.
His decision to team up with former Teso North MP Arthur Odera as his running mate has triggered a flurry of activity at Mutua’s camp.
“Some governors would want to continue their regimes through a weaker successor that would give them a free hand in the governance of the county,” Omulepu said.
“The urge to remain in power through proxies is the major reason second term governors are influencing succession.”
Ojaamong is torn between picking an aspirant who will carry on with his legacy, irrespective of the candidate’s popularity in the county and allowing residents of Busia to freely elect a candidate of their choice.
He said on March 25 that his relevance in Busia politics will be the surest way Busia people will benefit when Raila takes over the presidency after the August 9 General Election.
“You know Raila and I have been friends for a long time. I remember when I used to move with him in the same vehicle, we would buy roasted maize and share. We have been friends for over 30 years and I can make a very good ambassador of the people of Busia in Raila’s government,” Ojaamong said.
“I am the only one holding the key to the door that will connect the people of Busia to Raila when he becomes President. We are sure Raila will form the next government and I want us to use this opportunity to make sure our children get appointed as ambassadors, managing directors and principal secretaries. And the only person who can help us is Raila.”
The governor after the 2017 general election said after his departure from office, chances are high that he will be appointed to Cabinet courtesy of his close working relationship with the former PM.
He was expected to launch his MP bid for Teso South constituency on March 12, but the event that had been organised at Amukura West MCA Abiud Ochilang’ole’s home did not take off.
He told leaders he said are interfering with his succession, “We want to live together as Busia people as we chart our own future.”
“If it is matters nomination, we shall square it out ourselves. Leave us alone. Leave that to us to manage. I have said leave that for us.”
Edited by A.N