Former Funyula MP Paul Otuoma‘s dream of becoming governor of Busia is likely to come true after clinching the ODM gubernatorial nominations.
On Monday, April 11, Otuoma who unsuccessfully sought the ODM gubernatorial ticket in 2013 and 2017 scooped 49,330 votes beating his close rival Florence Mutua, the only competitor who garnered 30,696 votes.
Speaking after winning the gubernatorial nominations, the ex-legislator expressed pleasure in the manner in which the party conducted the primaries.
“It has not been an easy exercise to carry out nominations but I think we all appreciate that this time we have heard a verdict that is satisfactory not because I have won but because of how the party conducted the exercise,” Otuoma said.
During the nominations exercise, confusion marred former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s party following claims of system breakdown.
It was widely reported that the voting exercise began at around 10 am, six hours after voters had arrived at the polling stations prompting the party to suspend nominations for MPs, Senator, and Woma rep.
Otuoma’s win came just a day after the former legislator warned Raila Odinga’s party against attempts to tamper with the nominations.
The vocal politician said he will not accept being shortchanged by the party as it did in the 2017 party primaries saying the party will face unspecified consequences.
“Si nyinyi mnakumbuka mambo 2017, sisi tungekuwa wabaya hii town ingechomeka (You remember what happened in 2017, had we been bad people this town would have been consumed by fire)” Otuoma said.
In 2017, Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong clinched the ODM ticket with 92,358 votes against Funyula MP Paul Otuoma’s 63,752 votes in an exercise that Otuoma said was marred with irregularities.
“People who voted in Teso South are more than the number registered with IEBC. Seems like everybody voted for him from those areas,” Otuoma said, insisting that his victory was snatched.
