By Reuben Olita
Former Busia Woman Representative Hon. Florence Mutua has faulted Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) serving in the third Busia County Assembly for what she termed as troubling silence, questioning their credibility and effectiveness in executing their constitutional mandate.
Speaking on Wednesday during the burial of Mama Scholastica Auma Khaemba (77) at Kimasaat Village, Amagoro Sub-location, Teso North Sub-county, Mutua contrasted the current assembly with the second assembly (2017–2022), which she said was very vibrant, very visible, and firm on oversight fearlessly.
“The calibre of MCAs in the second assembly was totally different. They were serious, vocal, and effective. Today, everybody is quiet. I do not know what has closed their mouths in the assembly,” Mutua remarked.
She questioned whether the third assembly (2022–2027) was living up to its oversight and legislative roles as provided for under the Constitution of Kenya 2010, noting that residents no longer understand what their MCAs are doing or even where most are.
“We knew former MCAs by name, by committee, and by their work. She asked the current MCAS moving to 2027 to let residents know what they have been able to achieve and what was pending. When an MCA stood to speak, you knew it was an MCA talking. This time, everybody is quiet yet they are our key grass root eyes she said.
Mutua urged MCAs to actively address public issues within the assembly chambers rather than allowing them to spill over into funerals and public gatherings, reminding them that residents are the same people who will determine their political future at the ballot.
She also questioned why some leaders were so keen on opposing Deputy Speaker Ronald Ochalu, noting that he is facing multiple challengers ahead of the 2027 elections.
Third-term Nominated MCA Hon Gardy Jakaa, who has served in the first, second, and third assemblies since the onset of devolution in 2013, also admitted that the performance of the current assembly is very wanting.
He called for an urgent paradigm shift, ranking the second assembly as the best-performing, followed by the first assembly, with the third assembly coming last.
Jakaa reminded MCAs that their core roles include representation, legislation, and oversight, but lamented that the third assembly has so far fallen short on all three.
“In Busia, no work is being done. Citizens are suffering. Leaders are many, but service delivery is truly lacking,” Jakaa said.
Education Concerns
On education, Mutua raised an alarm on the Grade 10 placement exercise, describing it as flawed and impractical.
“How can a child from upcountry be placed in a day school in Nairobi when their parents live far away? Where will that learner stay?” she posed, urging the national government to harmonise the placement process to avoid such inconveniences. Let the national government quickly have such cases sorted out at the County level quickly for learners to move.
Political Undertones
Former Second Assembly Agriculture Committee Chairperson Hon. Job Oteba and Hon Ishmael Orodi announced that leaders from the second assembly had resolved to support Florence Mutua for the 2027 Woman Representative race, cautioning current leaders against engaging in unnecessary public political attacks since it is the wananchi who will decide.
Former Second Assembly Deputy Speaker Lawrence Okaale said he would announce his next political move at the appropriate time.
Also present was Teso North MP aspirant Imwene Ichasi who said he was assured of an easy win and also urged cultural leader Ishmael Orodi to leverage his cultural influence to mobilise support for him ahead of the polls.
