31 Busia MCAs sent home as Azimio takes control Assembly

Voters in Busia sent home 31 of the 35 elected MCAs who served in the county’s second Assembly between 2017 to 2022.

The electorate in the border county that has for long supported ODM leader Raila Odinga ensured the former prime minister’s Azimio La Umoja coalition controlled the County Assembly.

Among the four MCAs who survived the voters’ onslaught was Gaddy Jakaa who broke the record to be the only MCA to serve in the County Assembly since 2013 when devolution was operationalised.

Jakaa (Bukhayo North/Walatsi, MDG) trounced opponents in the election he described as the most competitive since he ventured into active politics more than a decade ago.

Others who survived the axe were James Ong’ole (Ang’orom, ODM), Patrick Omanyala (Malaba North, Wiper) and independent candidate Beatrice Kanoti (Bwiri).

The number of those re-elected dropped compared to 2017.

During the 2017 polls, seven out of the 35 ward representatives elected to serve in the inaugural Assembly in 2013 were re-elected.

Jakaa who won the race against his competitors after shelving his MP bid for the Nambale constituency said his return to the Assembly was an indicator of the confidence the people of Bukhayo North/Walatsi ward have in his leadership.

New comers

Among those who managed to elbow out the current ward reps to ascend to the County Assembly, for the first time, included Okello Mudibo (Mayenje, ODM) who trounced serving MCA David Luyemba (Jubilee). Mudibo won the race with 2,703 votes as Luyemba came second with 1,400 of the total votes cast.

Other newcomers expected at the County Assembly are Leonard Oyondo (Amukura East, ODM) who beat incumbent Moses Echopata, Eunice Wandera (Bukhayo East, ODM) who floored outgoing MCA Laban Mukhwana and Peter Tallam (Bukhayo West, ODM) who was elected after humbling Vincent Ojiambo at the ballot.

In the list are also Dennis Okinda (Matayos South, ODM) who defeated outgoing County Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Linus Asiba, Tony Onyango (Burumba, ODM) who knocked out Moses Ochieng as well as Silvanus Alianda (Bunyala North, ODM) who was voted in favour of incumbent Bosco Musirimba.

Other new comers voted for on the ODM party ticket were Steven Oyang’o (Bunyala South), Denzil Musumba ( Chakol South), Carlbenz Mapale (Bunyala West), John Omumi (Bunyala Central), Josephat Ogochi (King’andole), Alex Ayieko (Marachi East), Cumulus Obada (Agenga Nanguba), Harrison Makabwa (Nangina), Shadrack Masinde ( Marachi Central), Ronald Ochalu (Malaba Central ) and Josephat Wandera (Elugulu).

They were elected after defeating incumbents Casper Ajuma, Masikini Okodoi, Bartholomew Were, Felix Omanyi, Erick Kaibe, Julius Ochou, Evans Bwire, John Obwogo, Patrick Obuya, Bernard Papa and Patrobus Odhiambo respectively.

Parties allied to Raila’s Azimio La Umoja coalition also secured slots in the County Assembly in a development that will see Azimio enjoy full control of the legislative house.

Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) and Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa’s DAP-K came in second after the ODM party to produce four MCAs each.

Those who won the race on MDG’s sponsorship are Jakaa, Bonaventure Makokha (Bukhayo Central), Simon Maina (Marachi West) and Zacchaeus Kubasu (Marachi North).

Makokha, Maina and Kubasu floored outgoing County Assembly Majority Leader Milton Ekesa, John Oganga and Simon Asuka respectively.

Those who won for DAP-K include Dalmas Onjole (Chakol North), Joseph Eseme (Ang’urai South), Isaac Wamalwa (Ang’urai North) and Kenneth Rupia (Nambale Township).

Eseme elbowed out Grace Olita (ODM). In Ang’urai North where Wamalwa won, the incumbent, Lawrence Okaal did not defend his seat.

He opted to join Nambale MP John Bunyasi as a running mate in the race to succeed Governor Sospeter Ojaamong.

The pair, however, lost to the combination of former Funyula MP Paul Otuoma and former Teso North MP Arthur Odera.

Another party allied to Azimio, National Reconstruction Alliance produced two new MCAs.

Paul Okello won in Amukura Central beating Moses Ouma as Haggai Wanda clinched victory in Namboboto/Nambuku. Wanda beat incumbent Vincent Olumbe.

National Alliance Party of Kenya (NAP), deputy president William Ruto’s UDA, Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper and outgoing Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap managed to secure one slot each in the County Assembly.

Boniface Ekada (NAP) won in Malaba South after trouncing ODM’s David Kokonya while Boniface Erute beat seasoned politician Abiud Ochilang’ole (ODM) in Amukura West.

Wiper secured the one MCA seat through Omanyala who successfully defended his Malaba North seat as Maendeleo Chap Chap set foot in the County Assembly through career educationist David Parapara (Ang'urai East).

Parapara managed to outfox incumbent Joab Oteba who vied as an independent candidate after being floored during the ODM party primaries.

Gender Balance

The race to secure MCA seats saw only two women elected – Wandera and Kanoti.

Olita and Nambale Township’s Mwajuma Toloi failed to defend their seats.

Overall, ODM scooped 19 seats from the 35 wards in the county to give it numerical strength to elect the County Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker. In 2017, ODM had 17 MCAs in the Assembly.

Ong’ole on Saturday at a thank-giving church service at his Ang’orom home attributed his return to the County Assembly to his dedication to serving his ward residents without discrimination.

He said he will channel more energy into addressing key challenges faced by people in his cosmopolitan ward.

“My second term will see me address teething challenges facing residents of my ward including increasing clean water access, repairing of dilapidated roads and supporting the education sector through the provision of bursary to needy learners,” he said.

Mudibo who also attended Ong’ole’s thanksgiving ceremony attributed his success to his decision to take political advice from key opinion leaders in the ward.

He said he will focus on helping the vulnerable by availing bursary to students from a humble backgrounds, increase electricity and water connectivity in the ward.