By Reuben Olita, Busia
Remarks made by Busia County Assembly Majority Leader Josephat Wandera, targeting the first Busia governor, Sospeter Ojaamong, during the burial service Moses Mulomi Okhoba, the former deputy governor, sparked anger among mourners at Butula Vocational Training Centre on Friday.
Before his controversial remarks, Wandera, who is also the Elugulu Ward MCA, had called on the people of Busia to continue advising Governor Paul Otuoma to improve service delivery in the county.
He stressed that “abusive language and empty rhetoric” should be avoided, urging people to wait until 2027 before discussing succession politics.
However, the moment that triggered the reaction from mourners came when Wandera said, “As the first governor of Busia, you should be our technical advisor. The remarks you made during a burial in Teso North recently before you left hurriedly were not good.”
This statement led to a loud uproar from the crowd, with mourners shouting at Wandera to show respect for the county’s first governor, prompting him to cut his speech short. Speaker Fredrick Odilo was called upon to continue the session.
In response, Ojaamong defended himself, claiming that people were being sent to tarnish his reputation. “My mother and my uncles who brought me up are Luhyas, and it would be foolish of me to criticize their origin,” he said.
Ojaamong also described Mulomi as a professional, a unifying figure, and a gentleman, revealing that he had concerns over Kizito Wangalwa possibly staging a “coup.”
Busia Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma, who had known Mulomi since 1997, described him as a gentleman, emphasizing the importance of honoring one’s own people. “Nobody can honor you unless you honor your own,” Otuoma stated.
Butula Member of Parliament Joseph Oyula urged leaders to refrain from turning Butula into a political battleground, calling for peace and unity among all leaders.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah described Mulomi as a man of faith and respect.
Former Busia Women Representative Florence Mutua said that the gap left by Mulomi’s death could never be filled. She noted that they had lost a man who was both knowledgeable and humble.
First Busia Speaker Bernard Wamalwa shared that he had known Mulomi since 1992 in Nairobi, describing him as a respectful, intelligent man who was well-known both locally and internationally.
Kizito Wangalwa, who served alongside Mulomi, praised his work, stating that they never had any conflicts during his five-year tenure as the deputy governor.
The widow of the deceased, retired Chief Principal Emily Were Okhoba, shared that her husband had complained of chest discomfort just a week before his death and had planned to see a doctor after a meeting in Naivasha.
The postmortem revealed that Mulomi died of a heart attack. She described her late husband as an extremely humble person and thanked the leaders for ensuring that politics were kept out of his funeral service.
Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa remembered Mulomi as a truthful, non-abusive politician. He also noted that Mulomi had been a member of his party leading up to the 2027 elections.
Wamalwa apologized for DAP-K’s sacrifice of the seat to support Azimio’s interests and urged Amarachi to provide a candidate for the 2027 race.
