You Might Want A County But Not So Soon – Experts Advice

By Isabella Maua

The dream and determination of having a new Mt. Elgon County might not see the light soon, as anticipated by the Sabaot community.

This is according to political experts from the region who opted for anonymity.

“I’ve heard many people crying to get Mt. Elgon County at least before the next general election, but the reality is that the procedure for acquiring one is not as easy as they have been made to believe,” he noted.

The experts observe that the opinion shapers, would be politicians and the elite in the Sabaot community, are greatly misleading the masses.

“It is mediocrity to see an elite stand before a congregation or baraza to call for a county, whereas he or she knows very well that the sensitivity of the matter doesn’t require such an approach,” said another analyst.

Lately, there have been allegations that the top leaders, who’d been very vocal in pushing for the county, have been silenced by being given jobs or a certain amount of money.

John Shikuku, an educationist and aspiring politician, dismissed the allegations, saying that even the area’s member of the national assembly besides other leaders is at the forefront of pushing for a new county.

“People claiming that our silence has been bought are utterly mistaken and misleading the public; even the ones who are government officials like Pukose and Bungoma deputy governor support this noble idea,” reiterated Shikuku.

In late September 2023, the minority Sabaot community representatives presented their submissions before the Kimani Ichung’wah and Kalonzo Musyoka-led committee amidst tears as they described how they’ve been side-lined in many developmental aspects of the existing Bungoma County.

Though the quest to self governance might seem formidable, the Sabaot community remain hopeful that even if the county dream might not materialize, they’ll have gotten more constituencies by 2027.