By Okong’o Oduya
Busia County, Kenya: Busia High Court recently dismissed an election petition challenging the victory of Busia governor Dr. Paul Otuoma in August polls. The case had been filed by the former Nambale Member of Parliament Mr. John Bunyasi.
In his ruling, the Bungoma High court judge justice David Kenei noted that the petitioner in his witness failed to prove to the court that Busia county gubernatorial elections in August 2022 were marred with irregularities.
Justice Kenei ordered Mr. Bunyasi to incur the case cost by paying Ksh3 Million to the first, second, third, and fourth respondents.
According to him, the first and second respondents from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IEBC, and Busia county returning officer, Mr. Lazarus Chebii will share one million, while Mr. Paul Otuoma and his deputy Arthur Odera as the third and fourth respondents will get one million each.
While addressing his supporters in Busia town after the court ruling, Governor Paul Otuoma welcomed the order adding that it is the time to serve the people of Busia.
According to him, the county has wasted more than five months, the case has been in court, promising to serve the people of Busia to realize development.
“I want to appreciate the good work the legal team has done. It has been five months of ups and downs trying to prove to the court that we didn’t rig the August elections, but that is behind us now. The task we have is to develop Busia,” he said
However, the petitioner, the former Nambale Member of Parliament Mr. John Bunyasi, said that he respects the high court ruling calling upon his supporters across the county to accept the court’s verdict.
He urged them to remain calm and peaceful as they waited for further communication regarding the next move.
“The high court has issued the verdict, I respect the ruling and accept the court’s decision with humility. I appeal to my supporters across Busia County to accept the High court’s verdict and to be calm and peaceful. I will convey my further communication the next course of action,” he noted.
Former Funyula MP Paul Nyongesa Otuoma garnered 164,478 votes against Nambale MP John Sakwa Bunyasi who got 92,144 votes on the August 9 2022 gubernatorial elections.
