By BOB WASWANI
May 21, 2026| A former petty trader who spent three days in a police cell over a mobile phone deal has announced his intention to vie for the Member of County Assembly (MCA) seat for Butsotso South ward in the 2027 elections.
Nelson Otuko (pictured), currently working in Nairobi, traces his early years to Ekapwonje village, near Bukura Market. He attended Matioli Boys School, where he often missed classes due to unpaid school fees. According to his account, after the death of his father, he supported himself by selling firewood and working as a bodaboda operator.
He says he later ventured into buying and selling second-hand phones. One transaction, he admits, involved a phone he suspected was stolen. Shortly after, he was summoned by a sub-chief and arrested by armed police. He was held for three days before his mother secured his release through negotiations with the complainants.
“I walked into a nightmare,” Otuko recalls. “At night, I curled on the floor and wept. I made a vow: if I walked out, I would never look back.”
Following his release, Otuko returned to bodaboda work and firewood sales. He rose to become a school captain at Matioli Boys and later founded Bukura Combined Youths FC, which won the Lidonde Cup in 2022.
He proceeded to Nairobi Aviation College, where a cousin paid his fees. A brother housed him for three months before he began odd jobs in the capital, including pushing trolleys, carrying luggage, and selling avocados.
Otuko identifies South Africa-based mentor Julius Amaleba as an influence, saying he learned from him that “a man’s scars can become his message.”
Charity work in the ward
In recent years, Otuko has been undertaking charitable activities within Butsotso South ward. According to residents, he has periodically bought foodstuffs and other goods for widows in the area, using proceeds from his employment in Nairobi. He has also organized numerous football tournaments for young people, particularly during school holidays, as a way to develop local talent and keep youths engaged.
Public calls to vie
Otuko says the decision to offer himself as an MCA candidate did not originate from him but from members of the community. He claims that several residents have urged him to run, arguing that he is best placed to manage the ward development fund and address their needs through the county’s public kitty.
Defending community rights
Supporters of his prospective candidacy further point to his record of speaking out whenever rights have been abused in the area. Though he holds no formal office, Otuko says he has consistently intervened in local disputes and reported cases of rights violations to relevant authorities. He believes this advocacy, combined with his charity and youth work, demonstrates his capacity to fight for the ward’s interests if elected.
He has declared his candidacy for the 2027 MCA race, stating that his experience with hunger, school caning, and police detention gives him insight into the challenges facing young people in Butsotso South.
“I am not at the top yet,” he said. “But I know the way – prayer, hard work, and refusing to give up.”