By BOB AMALEMBA
June 12, 2026|Senator Okiya Omtatah has challenged Governor Paul Otuoma’s administration to provide documentary evidence proving that his court cases have stalled development projects in the county.
The challenge comes amid growing accusations by Governor Otuoma and several county leaders who have blamed the senator’s frequent litigation for delays in the implementation of key infrastructure projects and for discouraging potential investors.
County officials, including Busia County Assembly Deputy Speaker Ronald Ochalu, have singled out the proposed Sh400 million modern market in Malaba as one of the projects allegedly frustrated by Omtatah.
According to the county leadership, the senator’s legal interventions have contributed to the rising number of stalled projects across Busia.
The county government has maintained that continuous court battles have created uncertainty, slowed development and denied residents the benefits of critical projects.
However, Omtatah has dismissed the claims and accused county leaders of using him as a scapegoat to explain failures within the administration.
In a strongly worded response, the senator challenged the county government to make public all financial records relating to projects they claim he stopped.
“If indeed there are projects that were ready for implementation and were stopped solely because of my actions, then the funds allocated for those projects must still be available,” Omtatah said.
He argued that public funds do not disappear simply because a project has been delayed and demanded that the county produce bank statements, project accounts and procurement documents to show residents where the money allocated to the disputed projects currently stands.
“Let them show the people of Busia: this was the project, this was the budget, Senator Omtatah stopped it and here is the money that remains untouched. But if the money is no longer there, then the question is not what I stopped. The question is where the money went,” he said.
The senator defended his numerous court actions, saying they are aimed at protecting public resources and ensuring accountability rather than frustrating development.
According to him, his interventions have targeted alleged corruption, irregular procurement processes, abuse of public resources and attempts to grab public land.
Omtatah cited previous disputes involving the proposed use of Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) land and the attempted relocation of Busia Polytechnic, saying his actions were intended to safeguard public institutions.
He also referenced concerns raised over procurement processes and alleged double payments through the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), insisting that demanding contracts, bills of quantities and approvals amounts to constitutional oversight rather than opposition to development.”Accountability is not sabotage.
Transparency is not hostility. Oversight is not opposition to development,” the senator said.
He further argued that he has never opposed essential services such as the supply of medical commodities to hospitals, bursaries or capitation programmes.
Omtatah maintained that residents should not be forced to choose between development and accountability, insisting that the two go hand in hand.
The exchange exposes the widening rift between Busia County’s political leadership and the outspoken senator, whose court petitions have frequently placed him at odds with both county and national governments.
As the blame game intensifies, the debate now shifts to whether the county administration will publicly release financial records for the projects it says were delayed by the senator’s legal challenges.