President William Ruto on Saturday hosted members of the Teso community from Busia County at the State Lodge in Eldoret, where he was installed as a Teso elder.
During the meeting, Ruto was installed as an Iteso elder by His Royal Highness Papa Emorimor Paul Sande Emolot Etomeileng III with the title Ojokotau, a Teso name interpreted as meaning “someone with a big heart.” In simple way, Ejoka means good,and etau means heart
Next year’s General Election will be decisive and consequential.
We will bring to an end the stale politics of division, fragmentation and marginalisation, and usher in a new politics of unity, inclusion and transformation—one that leaves no community and no part of Kenya… pic.twitter.com/shJpGe3zJO
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) August 29, 2026
The engagement brought together Teso grassroot leaders, and other members of the community from Busia and neighbouring counties.
Teso North MP Oku Kaunya, who presented a memorandum on behalf of the community, said the delegation had come before the President as a united community seeking to work with his administration in building the country.
Kaunya said the Teso community had reflected on its political and development priorities and resolved to strengthen its unity and organisation.
“We have chosen unity, we have chosen partnership, we have chosen to participate in building Kenya with you, Your Excellency,” Kaunya said.
He said the community was ready to support Ruto, citing development projects and administrative changes undertaken during his time in government.
Kaunya recalled that between 2013 and 2017, when Ruto served as Deputy President, the Teso community had two members of Parliament, Mary Amase and Arthur Odera.
He also credited Ruto with supporting the construction of several roads in the region, including routes connecting Busia, Adungosi and Malaba, as well as other roads serving communities in the area.
The legislator said the community was looking forward to the planned launch of the tarmacking of the Butula-Nambale-Amukura-Kocholia road.
He further cited the proposed development of the Malaba-Kimwanga highway, the long-awaited Standard Gauge Railway, a dry port and an Export Processing Zone as projects expected to create opportunities for residents.
Kaunya also welcomed the creation of Teso Central Sub-County, saying the community hoped future administrative reviews would create opportunities for additional political representation.
The MP said the Teso community had previously been hindered by divisions among clans, institutions, leaders and groups, making it difficult to present a unified position to the national government.
“What we have lacked for a long time, Your Excellency, is not the ability. We have lacked cohesion and unity,” he said.
Kaunya said the community had now resolved to organise itself and identify common interests, adding that it had concluded that it needed to work closely with the government under the broad-based arrangement.
