Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has received a memorandum from the leadership of the Iteso community calling for deeper inclusion and fair political and administrative representation.
Mudavadi, who also serves as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, assured the community that the government is ready to work alongside the Iteso people to achieve positive and progressive transformation.
“The memorandum carries weight not only for the benefit of the Iteso people here in Kenya, but for the greater good of our nation and humanity,” Mudavadi said.
“Guided by the spirit and letter of the 2010 Constitution, which guarantees equality, affirmative action for marginalized groups, inclusive governance and fair representation, my office has taken note of these concerns and aspirations.”
The delegation, under the banner of the “Union of the Iteso People in Kenya,” was led by Teso North MP Oku Kaunya, recently appointed as the community’s spokesperson.
Kaunya highlighted the Iteso cultural system, which emphasizes respect for elders, communal solidarity, harmony with nature, integrity, gender complementarity, hospitality, courage, and value for livestock and land.
Kaunya said the community continues to face marginalization that hinders progress, tracing historical challenges to colonial-era boundary adjustments that split the Iteso between Kenya and Uganda, disrupting trade, migration, and kinship networks.
“During the colonial period, Teso areas were treated as labour reserves and received minimal investment in infrastructure, education, and healthcare. Post-independence, political and development priorities continued to favor more influential regions, leaving the Iteso underrepresented in national politics, senior public service, development projects, and diplomatic appointments,” Kaunya said.
He cited continued under-representation in counties where the Iteso have significant voting strength, including Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, and Busia.
For example, in Busia County, only 12 of 35 elected MCAs and one of 18 nominated MCAs are Iteso.
At the national level, the community’s highest recent executive appointment was an Assistant Minister in 2013, and it has never held a Cabinet Secretary post.
Mudavadi assured the community that a structured, lawful, and coordinated path will be developed within government systems and through ongoing personal engagement. He reflected on long-standing personal and family ties with the Iteso, including collaborations with past leaders such as the late Fredrick Oduya Oprong’ and other influential community figures.
The PCS also acknowledged the Iteso’s historical role in establishing the Anglican Church of Kenya’s Katakwa Diocese in 1991 and praised the community for its contributions to national cohesion, regional trade, agriculture, and cultural preservation.
He further commended the leadership for recognizing the efforts of President William Ruto’s administration to ensure that all communities, including the Iteso, benefit from the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, the Iteso population in Kenya is approximately 417,670, representing less than 1% of the national population, with Busia County alone accounting for about 306,150 people, or 34.3% of the county population.
