The Sabaot Supreme Council of Elders has finally settled on Hillary Chongwony to deputize Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka in his bid to recapture the Bungoma county gubernatorial seat.

Chongwony, who hails from Mt Elgon, had served as Lusaka’s deputy from 2013 to 2017 before they lost the seat to Wycliffe Wangamati.

Wangamati picked his deputy from the minority Tachoni tribe that resides in Webuye East constituency.

The race to deputize Lusaka had so far attracted eight aspirants from the Sabaot community.

A section of the elders had proposed a debate to be held in Kitale town to pick the right candidate, but the move was strongly opposed by locals.

The elders said that they had held consultative meetings about the issue and landed on Chongwony to stop any fallout in the community.

Addressing the media in Kapsokwony market on Friday after a six-hour consultative meeting, the Sabaot Council of elders vice-chairman Bungoma Chapter Johnson Takur confirmed that they had settled on Chongwony whom they said was the right person for the job.

“We saw how Chongwony worked closely with Lusaka during their tenure and we want them to come back and continue with their good development works for the residents,” he said.

Takur said that according to the Mabanga peace accord of 2013, between the Bukusus and Sabaot living in Bungoma, a deputy governor would always come from a different community.

Takur said that they were only requesting Lusaka to consider those who didn’t make it for the position for any other posts when he forms his government.