The political scene in Busia County has taken a new turn ahead of the 2027 General Election. Teso North MP Dr Edward Oku Kaunya and his Butula counterpart, Hon. Joseph Oyula, have announced that they will defend their seats on the Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) party ticket. Both were elected on an ODM ticket in 2022, so the move marks a major shift for two leaders who have been associated with the Orange party.
Kaunya has also been named Deputy Party Leader of MDG. The appointment shows that he will play a bigger role in the young party, which is led by Hon. David Ouma Ochieng. Many see it as a sign that MDG is serious about building a strong team before the next election.
The news comes at a busy time for the party. Aspirants have been gathering at the MDG headquarters along Masaba Road in Uperhill, Nairobi, where they are holding talks meant to strengthen the party's structures and shape its agenda for the 2027 polls.
Kaunya's decision may not come as a complete surprise. He had earlier complained about how ODM conducted its delegates' elections in Busia. He claimed that delegates from his constituency were locked out of the process, and he asked the party to organise fresh elections and take action against those he said had hired goons. These complaints suggest that some leaders in the county were already unhappy with the party's internal affairs.
Meanwhile, there are reports that several sitting MPs from Busia County could also move to MDG. This has not been officially confirmed, and none of the MPs has publicly spoken on the matter. If it turns out to be true, it could change the political map of Busia, which has been seen as an ODM stronghold for years. In 2022, ODM won five of the county's seven parliamentary seats.
Even so, MDG still has a long road ahead. The big question is whether the party can turn the growing interest and the reported defections into real votes on the ground. Building a strong grassroots network, fielding popular candidates and winning the trust of residents will decide whether MDG becomes a serious force in 2027 or remains a small player.
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