Busia County Governor Paul Otuoma has abandoned holding public rallies in Busia town, his county headquarters, following violent clashes between political gangs vying for territorial control. Governor Otuoma, who hails from Funyula constituency, allegedly deployed a gang known as the ‘Busijo Boys’ to assert his dominance in the town. However, they faced fierce resistance from the infamous ‘Jobless’ gang, a group primarily composed of young men from Busia town’s Marachi and Burumba estates.
The ‘Jobless’ gang, reportedly made up of youths originally from Siaya and Kisumu counties, was initially brought into Busia town by politicians with ties to the former Nyanza province. Tensions escalated late last year when the ‘Busijo Boys’ attempted to dislodge the ‘Jobless’ gang from their strongholds, sparking violent confrontations. Despite support from local police, the ‘Busijo Boys’ were overpowered and forced to retreat to their base in Funyula.
As a result, the ‘Jobless’ gang has declared Governor Otuoma persona non grata at his county headquarters, vowing to disrupt any public meetings he attempts to hold in Busia town. They have threatened to destroy vehicles, public address systems, chairs, tents, and other equipment set up for such events.
A man claiming to be the leader of the ‘Jobless’ gang told The Weekly Vision: “We are determined to ensure Otuoma never holds a political rally in Busia town because he betrayed us. He hired thugs from Funyula to evict us and refused to pay us for services we rendered, including security work.” He added, “We are also committed to ensuring Governor Otuoma serves only one term due to his poor leadership. He surrounds himself with unqualified individuals instead of seeking counsel from professionals and opinion leaders.”
Political analysts suggest that Governor Otuoma has alienated key figures who were instrumental in his 2022 election victory over his main rival, former World Bank senior manager and MP John Sakwa Bunyasi. Some of these individuals reportedly spent significant sums financing his campaign.
According to political analyst George Makokha, threats against the Governor have materialized on multiple occasions. One notable incident occurred early last year during a major political rally at Busia Polytechnic, attended by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga. Otuoma faced relentless heckling and was prevented from addressing the crowd. His official vehicle was later attacked as it left the venue, despite the presence of police and his ‘Busijo Boys’ security detail.
Makokha further alleged that a county assembly member, reportedly a former gang member, was tasked with procuring weapons for the ‘Busijo Boys’. These were allegedly transported to Busia Polytechnic in a black Probox vehicle, which was later destroyed by the ‘Jobless’ gang.
Due to these hostilities, Governor Otuoma has repeatedly been forced to cut short his speeches in Busia town and its environs. Most recently, during ODM’s 25th-anniversary celebrations, he relocated the event to Bukiri market in his home village, over 30 kilometres from Busia town, while his political adversaries held a parallel event at the county headquarters.
Similarly, the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) conference and exhibition, attended by governors from the former Western, Nyanza, and North Rift Valley provinces, was moved to Alupe University to avoid potential disruptions by the ‘Jobless’ gang.
