Youth MP out to battle Minister Oboth Oboth for West Budama seat in 2026

The minister for defense, Jacob Oboth Oboth has gotten a challenger for the 2026 parliamentary election  as the Eastern Youth MP , Bernard Odoi Onen expressed interest to unseat him .

As the clock ticks towards 2026, youthful members of Parliament will be pushed out of their current representation due to age.

One of those is the Eastern youth MP Bernard Odoi Onen who hails from Tororo district.

To Onen, his political carrier is not about to end.

Being a born of Mulanda sub county in West Budama central constituency, Onen has been left with no option but declare his intentions to stand against defense minister, Jacob Oboth Oboth in the coming general polls.

Onen is now riding on the youth population though his performance as a youth representative will still to be evaluated.

"We are 75% in number, the voice is clear, the time is now. So in 2026, I will be a candidate to represent the people of West Budama central in the 12th Parliament" Onen said.

But to minister Oboth Oboth, he isn't afraid of facing competition given the fact that he has nearly fulfilled all his pledges he made to his electorates during campaigns.

Oboth’s trust is still in the population he has served for three terms now.

" The rice is not for one person. Surprisingly, even a person who is going to fail is speaking like is going to win but the truth will come out. I have communicated to every house in West Budama central. Every household has either heard me, seen me or felt me" Minister Oboth told the Nile Post.

However, a section of voters  expressed mixed reactions  on the matter.

James Ochieno a resident of Pajwenda town council who is also a voter in the constituency said  that he rather votes for the youth MP  than Oboth saying three terms are enough for him.

"Let this young boy also at least have two terms. We voted for minister Oboth for now three terms, those are enough for him," said Othieno.

Mary Akello another voter within Pajwenda town council said  the minster has financially empowered women groups in the constituency, a thing she said has kept the minister's votes intact.

" I am a member in a group where the  minister has injected over shs15million . Each time we need money, we just borrow within the group " Akello said.