Busia gubernatorial hopeful Paul Otuoma has named former Teso North MP Arthur Odera as his running mate in the race to succeed Governor Sospeter Ojaamong.
Odera was unveiled in a colourful ceremony held at Achiya Echakara Secondary School in Teso North on April 4.
Odera shelved his Teso North MP ambitions to be Otuoma's running mate.
Otuoma is the only governor aspirant who has named his running mate in Busia.
Others in the governor's race include Woman Representative Florence Mutua, Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi, former Education chief officer Dan Mogoria, Nambale MP John Bunyasi and former Agricultural Finance Corporation managing director Lucas Meso.
“I have chosen Odera to be my running mate as I seek to be the second governor of Busia in the August 9 general election,” Otuoma said.
“Odera brings a lot of experience and expertise needed to streamline our county more so on service delivery to our people. I urge all our people to join us in this new chapter to bring unity and prosperity.”
Otuoma is expected to square it out for the ODM ticket with Mutua and Mulomi.
Odera said his partnership with Otuoma is built on the foundation of uplifting the lives of all Busia residents.
His political collaboration with the Privatisation Commission chairman, Odera said, will ensure smooth and steady flow of services across all sectors in the county.
The event was also attended by Budalang’i MP Raphael Wanjala, Nangina MCA John Obwogo and a host of MCA aspirants in Teso North.
Wanjala warned leaders out to divide Busia residents on tribal lines.
Tribal politics, he said, has no place in modern day Kenya.
Otuoma said his first assignment, if elected governor, will be to get rid of ghost workers in the county government.
“If you know you are a ghost worker earning a salary so that at the end of the day our hospitals lack medicine, start your journey early,” he said.
"If you are that kind of character you don’t even need to wait for me. There is no room for people wasting public resources because we must offer services.”
The actions of today's leaders, he said, will determine the lives of the next generation in Busia.
“We must build institutions so that those who come after us will pick from where we left. It is the institutions that we build that will leave a legacy,” Otuoma said.
(Edited by Francis Wadegu)
