Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

One time Finance Minister Chris Okemo and former Attorney General Amos Wako are among 11 eminent people picked by Busia governor Paul Otuoma (right) to spearhead the county’s economic recovery and strategy.

 Otuoma identified the 11 to sit in the County Budget and Economic Forum (CBEF) that will also be charged with spearheading the budgeting process.

 The governor said the team will function as a think-tank for his administration on matters of finance and economic management.

 The team has been tasked to formulate long term strategies on how to tackle challenges facing the county such as poor healthcare services, low agricultural productivity, malnutrition, poverty and dilapidated infrastructure

 Okemo, who was the Finance minister between 1999 and 2001 and Wako, the country’s longest serving AG between 1991 and 2011, would represent the interests of professionals and the elderly respectively.

 Also in the team is former Kenya’s ambassador to Japan and South Korea Dennis Awori, who is also the chair of Toyota Kenya Ltd.  Others are Lwanya Catholic church parish priest Fr Maurice Langiri (Faith-based groups), James Nyongesa (Business Community), Patricia Okello (Labour issues), Benedette Muyomi (Youth), Dickson Mrade Pekol (PLWD) Bertha Okoyo (Women), Stephen Ojiambo (professionals) and Roselyne Amunyelet (women).

 Wako who was the county senator since 2013, retired from active politics last year while Okemo last December escaped extradition to face criminal charges in Jersey, UK, over theft of Sh1.5 billion.