Former MPs, newcomers eye Kaberamaido seats as nominations start

KABERAMAIDO - The nomination of parliamentary candidates in Kaberamaido district began smoothly on Wednesday, October 22, featuring a mix of returning politicians and newcomers eager to reshape the area’s representation.

According to district returning officer Stella Koriang Modo, the exercise opened on schedule, with several aspirants arriving early for nomination. By 9:00 am, two candidates had already presented their papers at the nomination centre.

Three candidates have been duly nominated: Veronica Isala Eragu Bichetero, James Olobo, and Luben Melvin Eputu.

Olobo, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Kyoga North in Amolatar district, has shifted base to Kaberamaido County after losing in the NRM party primaries and the race for district NRM chairperson.  

Luben Melvin Eputu was nominated as an independent candidate for Ochero county MP seat in Kaberamaido district with his nomination forms after being nominated. (Credit: Michael Onyige)

He said internal segregation within the party pushed him to move and that he was encouraged by elders to represent his “second home”.

Isala, who represented Kaberamaido County from 2016 to 2021 before moving to Ochero County when it was carved out, is making another bid as an independent candidate after losing the NRM primary to Francis Okullo.

Eputu, a district councillor for Kobulubulu subcounty and former LC3 chairperson, was also nominated as an independent for Ochero County.  

He said he decided to contest because Ochero has lacked effective representation and that his two decades of local leadership give him a deeper understanding of the people’s challenges.