Simon Maina Kuria is the new Member of County Assembly (MCA) representing Marachi West Ward in Busia County.
Kuria, 35, and who has been living in Busia for the last 33 years, scored a historic first in an area that is predominantly Luhya and Luo.
“My parents came to Bumula in 1991; my father was a bus driver and my mother hawked potatoes and oranges,” says Kuria.
“I started school here in Bumula, but only went up to standard eight. My father died in 2001, and that brought my education to an abrupt end, so I ventured into business here in Bumula,” says Kuria who speaks fluent Luo, Luhya and Kikuyu.
Kuria emerged winner in a contest that brought together 10 other competitors including the incumbent.
“I am happy that the people have elected me to represent and work for them, despite this being an ODM zone, they have given me this mandate to lead them,” said Kuria.
Kuria’s win brought to an end a longstanding established order that had seen leadership in Marachi oscillate between the Luos and Luhya.
“I am one of them, I have lived with the people here. I know the voters wanted a worker,” Kuria told Wananchi Reporting.
Noting thus: “It’s possible I wouldn’t have won this seat had I contested back home in Central. The people of Marachi West chose me, because they did not look at my tribe, or party for that matter, they looked at my ability as a person, and that’s how it should be,” he said.
Marachi West ward, where Maina has been residing for the past three decades, is majorly dominated by the Luhya, Teso and Luo tribes. These add to Busia’s cosmopolitan nature as a county.
Maina garnered 3,053 votes against his closest competitor Sawe Gomba who received 2,194 votes, followed by Peter Omina with 1,423 votes.
Maina won the seat on a Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) ticket, with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party scooping a record 20 seats to emerge the leading party in the assembly.
Maina has pledged to promote trade in the area by offering grants to small scale traders.
Source-https://citizen.digital/
