Corrupt Siaya Governo James Orengo has resorted to bullying and engaging his deputy William Oduol in a cold war with an aim to clip his political wings by 2025 and prevent any attempt by the DG from running in the 2027 polls.
Orengo and Oduol fell out following attempts by the deputy governor to push for the implementation of various development projects that had been budgeted for during the previous regime. The Governor halted several projects particularly in former governor Cornel Rasanga’s sub-county of Alego Usonga where Oduol also hails from, prompting the public to petition the two for immediate action.
Attempts by Oduol to push Orengo to ensure full implementation of all projects already budgeted for and his concerns about the frequent looting of funds from the county coffers have also strained their relationship.
Umidha has also threatened to mobilize locals and lead mass action should Orengo and Oduol fail to bury the hatchet and forge a cordial working relationship to steer the county ahead.
“We want them to work together because we elected them together to complement each other in their duties. This case where Oduol only goes to the office to take tea and read newspapers must stop,” Umidha said.
Another Siaya resident elder Seline Anyango Okeyo is also claimed that Oduol has not been able to use his official car on several occasions due to lack of fuel, forcing him to use a motorbike to his home, which is a serious security risk to his life.
“Oduol has been left out of critical meetings chaired by the governor and all we want are answers because as Alego people we voted for Orengo because of Oduol. Otherwise, we would have voted for Gumbo,” said Okeyo.
Orengo has now been forced back to the drawing board and is planning to unleash heavy artillery to thwart any attempts for a rebellion against him. He has reached out to his political godfather, ODM leader Raila Odinga to organize a rally in Siaya immediately after he leaves Kilifi to mobilize goons to heckle Oduol and to disgrace him in front of Raila in an attempt to finish him politically.
The governor has also instructed the county treasury to release Ksh 4.8 million to fund the rally whose aim is to fight supremacy wars in Siaya and show rebellion against the government of President William Ruto who defeated Odinga in the August 2022 general elections.
Siaya County boss is keen to ensure the rally goes on and has been bankrolling a section of local MPs and MCAs to move around attacking Oduol and to incite Mzee Odinga against him.
Orengo has dished out Sh 500,000 each to a section of MPs he has pocketed while seasoned MCAs are getting Sh 200,000 each, others Ksh 50,000 each with first-term county reps getting as little as Sh20,000 each to participate in anti-Oduol wars.
The MCAs who got nothing have protested over Orengo’s discrimination and unfair distribution of the loot.
“Orengo’s fear is that Oduol is politically aggressive and could end his career but Oduol is even not keen on running in 2027. It, however, beats logic why Orengo would go to an extent of using Chief Finance Officer Jack Odinga to withdraw huge sums of money to fight Oduol’s spirits yet he has not pronounced himself on 2027.” one MCA argued.
Orengo recently made changes in the finance docket in a bid to make it easy to withdraw funds despite an advisory of the Finance CCE. CFO is the one calling shots in the docket while the CEC has been pushed to the periphery.
