By Reuben Olita -Busia
Former Busia County Member of the National Assembly Florence Mutua has challenged the youth to register in the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise in order to boost their chances of participating in national and county leadership.
Mutua expressed concern over the low turnout in the current exercise. She spoke on Tuesday at Ang’aro Comprehensive School in Angurai East Ward during the burial ceremony of the late Thomas Okude Olita, brother to the veteran Journalist and former Principal Communications officer in the Governor’s office in Busia County, Reuben Olita.
According to IEBC data released by the Chairman of the electoral body Erastus Edung Ethekon early this month, the country recorded a paltry 90,020 new voters as at 31st October 2025 with Nairobi leading with just 16,512 new voters, followed by Kiambu with 9,917 and Machakos coming third with 4,026 voters.
According to IEBC, Tana River county recorded the lowest number at 130, Marsabit 284, Isiolo 312, Samburu county 319, and Elgeyo Marakwet 330.
Mutua who had also served as the Deputy Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party recalled how she attended a Church service in Amagoro, Teso North Sub County in 2013 before she ventured into active politics, and later distributed farming implements to women only to appear in the Star newspaper the following day with her photograph.
She recalled how worried she was since she was still working for the United Nations, “my heart stopped beating. I had to look for Reuben Olita to ask him why he put me in the newspaper yet I’m still hiding and I’m not sure about politics”.
She went on, ” Do you know what Olita told me? You are going to be the Woman Rep, and I will continue writing your activities in the newspapers”. Mutua told mourners that she was afraid she would lose her pension in the United Nations and opted to resign earlier than planned, courtesy of Reuben Olita.
She hailed him as the first journalist to write an article about her. This she recounted with nostalgia is how she came to know the other siblings of the veteran Journalist, including the late Thomas Olita.
Mutua described the late Thomas as a diligent, honest, trustworthy, and dedicated leader with whom she worked closely while she was still in the ODM party.
She thanked the people of Teso for standing with her during her stint as the Busia County woman Rep. She told the cheering mourners that she had accepted their call to run for the position in 2027, where she pledged to serve women,the elderly men, the youth, and persons with disability equally.
Mutua urged women to maintain their groups, saying all financial support would be channelled through their groups. She concurred with Heaven Outreach Church overseer Dr. Abraham Enarach, for people to stop being jealousy and love their neighbours lest they will spoil their families.
The late Thomas Olita’s siblings include the Director of Education Martha Ekirapa, former Angurai South MCA Grace Olita, Salvation Army Major Saul Olita, among others. He was a brother-in-law to former TSC Commissioner Albert Fred Ekirapa, among others. Thomas, 61, is survived by a widow, four children, and five grandchildren.
Angurai East MCA David Parapara told residents from his ward that duka moja Road and Cut across Changara is managed by the MP, while Kolanya-Kawalun Road falls nder fuel levy.
” It’s against the law for an MCA to manage fuel levy roads. Ksh47m has been allocated to the county to manage fuel levy roads awaiting supplementary budget and consent from the controller of budget.
Chairman Lake Victoria North Water Works Agency Mr John Imoite through Onyiko Olita announced he would be in the race for the MP seat in 2027 elections.
