President William Ruto hosts Teso community, installed as Elder at State Lodge Eldoret

President William Ruto welcomed members of the Teso community from Busia County to the State Lodge in Eldoret on Saturday. During the meeting, Ruto was officially installed as a Teso elder by His Royal Highness Papa Emorimor Paul Sande Emolot Etomeileng III, receiving the title Ojokotau, which translates to "someone with a big heart." The engagement aimed to bring together Teso grassroots leaders and other community members from Busia and neighboring counties.

Oku Kaunya, the Teso North MP, presented a memorandum on behalf of the community. He stated that they had gathered as a united group seeking to collaborate with Ruto's administration in fostering national development. Kaunya highlighted the community's priorities, which included strengthening unity and organization, and pledged their support for Ruto, citing his past achievements during his tenure as Deputy President from 2013 to 2017.

Kaunya mentioned several development projects initiated by Ruto, such as the construction of roads connecting Busia, Adungosi, and Malaba, as well as other roads benefiting the region. He also expressed anticipation for the upcoming tarmacking of the Butula-Nambale-Amukura-Kocholia road, the development of the Malaba-Kimwanga highway, and the anticipated Standard Gauge Railway, dry port, and Export Processing Zone. These projects, Kaunya believed, would generate economic opportunities for the Teso community.

The MP emphasized that the Teso community had faced divisions among clans, institutions, leaders, and groups, making it challenging to present a unified position to the national government. However, Kaunya explained that the community had now resolved to organize itself, identify common interests, and work closely with the government in a broad-based arrangement. He acknowledged that the main obstacle they had previously faced was a lack of cohesion and unity.