By Reuben Olita -Busia
More leaders from the Teso North region on Monday added their voice to opposing the planned installation of the area Member of Parliament Dr. Oku Kaunya as the Iteso spokesperson.
Addressing the press at Klub Quarters Koteko in Malaba South Ward, the leaders said they want only the Iteso Cultural leader, His Higness Emorimor Paul Sande Emolot to be their spokesman and nobody else.
The leaders who vowed to block the planned installation included members of the County Assembly Gardy Jakaa ( Bukhayo North/ Walatsi), Isaac Wamalwa ( Angurai North) and Patrick Omanyala ( Malaba North).
Hon Omanyala said the onus of MP Kaunya is to fund development projects and represent us in Parliament, but the planned ordination or re-union beats the logic because the Iteso are together from Katakwa to Katakwi.
” To divide the Iteso community is quite unfortunate. Oku should stop dividing the community and instead address bursary challenges affecting students, forcing them to defer courses,” he said.
Omanyala said heavy rains in his Malaba North Ward had rendered 35 households homeless. Instead of the MP coming on the ground to talk to the people, he is busy planning for his installation as Iteso spokesperson on September 20.
Omanyala added:” Come we talk instead of involving on useless things.Culture has structures. We wonder where Kaunya invented this idea. We are six elected leaders and one nominated, and yet we have not sat to deliberate on any issues, be it development or matters culture.”
” This appears to be driven by politics, and it appears the MP wants to stage a coup against the Iteso Cultural leader who is currently in South Africa. We don’t need another spokesman other than Emorimor.
Hon Jakaa termed the planned installation of Dr.Kaunya’s as Teso Spokesman as a scandle in Teso, wondering which process was used to elect Kaunya as planned spokesperson for the Iteso community.
” We only recognise Emorimor and the Deputy Prime Minister Fredrick Adung’o who is domiciled in Kenya. The MP has a platform to talk about anything to defend the Iteso community to get jobs or development. Only two MCAs in the Teso region are backing him,” he said.
Hon Wamalwa said he is shocked as a leader of the planned installation of Oku as a spokesperson of the Iteso community.
” The MP has a right to visit any office to speak on behalf of the community. If he wants to become the Iteso spokesperson, then he should resign as MP. He will divide the community, which is united if it happens
Retired Senior Chief, chairman Angurai North Council of Elders and Deputy Secretary Iteso Council of Elders, Livingstone Omasete said they have Emorimor as a unifying factor.
” The meeting convened on Sunday was attended by ‘rebels’ of the King Emorimor because during the time Emorimor was installed, the same group which was opposed attended Sunday’s meeting. We are in support of the king to practice his role,” Omasete said.
He added: ” The Teso Cultural framework is very clear from the chairman of the clan to the King, so that is the only man entrusted in bringing peace and unity in Teso. Let’s keep politics outside cultural affairs. The only spokesperson for Iteso is Emorimor Sande Emolot.
Iteso Cultural Union treaaurer Teso Sub County, Nany Okuche said Oku should have involved all the Iteso before making the pronouncement, noting that the ICU constitution is clear and we sent the MP to Parliament to represent us.
Teso North Member of Parliament 2027 aspirant Ichasi Imwene was the first to blow the whistle during the burial of Mama Colleta Amentonono Imutuan,67,at Kidek Village on Friday when he vehemently opposed Oku’s planned installation as Iteso spokesperson.
Ichasi said if at all we have a spokesperson for the Iteso community, that person should not be a politician because politicians have their own things.
Busia gubernatorial aspirant in 2027 elections Arthur Amug Osiya told MP Oku Kaunya that cultural leadership is not within his mandate.
Commenting on his official Facebook page, Osiya said there is a need to distinguish between our traditional cultural institutions and modern political structures.
” These two serve complementary but separate roles—one preserving our identity, the other shaping our development. Hon.Oku Kaunya is not the spokesperson of the Iteso people. While we appreciate his service in parliament and ongoing development efforts, cultural leadership is not within his mandate,” he said.
Osiya added: ” The sacred responsibility lies with His Royal Highness, King Emorimor Paul Sande Emolot—our paramount chief and cultural leader across Kenya, Uganda, and the diaspora. Since his installation in 2022, King Emormor Sande Emolot has upheld our traditions, resolved disputes, promoted education, and unified our people.
He is the embodiment of our heritage, and his voice remains the guiding light for cultural matters. I firmy
disassociate myself from any attempt to position Hon.Oku Kaunya to be Iteso spokesperson.
Such moves risk undermining the very institutions that preserve our unity and identity.
Let us remember:
Hon. Oku Kaunya and Hon. Mary Emaase are our elected Members of Parliament —responsible for political and developmental leadership in their respective constituencies. Paul Sande Emolot is our cultural spokesperson —entrusted with our heritage and ancestral voice, ” Osiya said.
Malaba Central MCA aspirant Gerald Okima “Punda” said he was opposed to the idea because Emorimor is the source of unity in our culture as Iteso. We oppose it vehemently, and we don’t know how it came about because things require consensus,” he said.
Okima added:” As youths, we must be on board, including political leaders and other opinion leaders, so that we come to consensus but about the spokesperson of Iteso we leave it to the cultural leader to unite.”
” The kingship of Iteso is non-political and non-partisan. It’s the only hope of unity, peace, and love. I strongly oppose oppose Kaunya’s appointment to be the spokesperson of Iteso. Let the King be our spokesperson,” he added .
Photos: (1) Patrick Omanyal 2. GardyJakaa 3. Isaac Wamalwa 4. Livingstone Omasete 5.Gerald Okima.
