By Reuben Olita -Busia
The Iteso spokesman in Kenya, Oku Kaunya, has met an Iteso delegation from Bungoma County, with leaders calling for deeper inclusion, fair representation, and unity within the community.
The meeting focused on development, politics, and economic empowerment, with participants expressing concern over what they described as long-standing marginalisation of the Iteso community.
Kaunya said the leaders resolved to work together under his leadership to strengthen the community’s participation in national development.
“We agreed to speak with one voice and to organise ourselves better so that the Iteso can contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic growth,” he said.
The leaders also expressed support for the Broad-Based Government under President William Ruto, saying the arrangement—reached through dialogue between the late ODM leader Raila Amolo Odinga and the President—was meant to promote peace and national unity.
The Bungoma Iteso leadership said the community would work with the government in honour of Raila Odinga’s push for dialogue and stability.
During the meeting, leaders urged both national and county governments to prioritise marginalised communities, noting that many Iteso areas continue to lag behind in development.
They called for greater inclusion of the community in public appointments, saying the Iteso feel excluded from key decision-making positions.
The leaders noted that despite having over 98,000 registered voters in Bungoma County, the community’s political strength has not translated into proportional representation at either the county or national level.
They also raised concerns over limited investment in infrastructure, education and healthcare in Iteso-populated areas, which they said has persisted since independence.
Ethnic politics and unfulfilled power-sharing agreements were cited as factors contributing to the community’s exclusion from county leadership positions.
Land scarcity, unemployment and limited economic opportunities for the youth were also highlighted as major challenges facing the community.
The leaders further pointed to internal divisions and political interference in cultural affairs, including disputes over the legitimacy of some cultural leaders, which they said has weakened the community’s collective voice.
They called for unified development priorities and strategic interventions to accelerate socio-economic growth and ensure fair inclusion across the region.
Kaunya thanked the Bungoma delegation for the engagement, saying unity was key to ensuring the Iteso benefit from national development programmes.
