By Anderson Ojwang
Siaya Governor James Orengo could be facing internal revolt and fallout with his close allies in Siaya County over what they have termed as ‘betrayal’. Alego Usunga MP Sam Atandi has claimed that Orengo has betrayed his deputy William Oduol and him saying they were rethinking a new political future without Orengo in 2027.
“ In 2022, William and I went on a political journey. The person whom we supported and voted to be the governor has betrayed us.
We will sit down with William and agree on our 2027 political journey to ensure we are not betrayed again. We will not get in to a political agreement that is full of betrayal,” he said.
Atandi said Orengo first betrayed Oduol and then him and that have learnt their lesson the hard way.
“Orengo first chased away William from his government and after that, he also threw me away. We have been betrayed in this political journey. We will charter our own future for 2027,” he said.
Orengo had also fallen out with Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo, one of his confidants from Siaya County.
Oduol was last year impeached by the county Assembly of Siaya after 42 Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) unanimously adopted the report of the special committee that was established to investigate the grounds for which a motion of impeachment was tabled against him on June 29, 2023.
The impeachment motion was moved by East Asembo Ward MCA Gordon Onguru who accused the Deputy Governor of gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office and misuse of public resources among others.
The special committee, in a report tabled on the floor of the House by its Chairman and Yimbo East Ward MCA Francis Otiato said it found the claims to be substantiated and recommended his impeachment.
During the deliberations on the report, Siaya MCAs – one after the other – supported Mr. Oduol’s removal accusing him of being a dishonest leader who was only out to advance his selfish gains.
They stated that the differences between Mr Oduol and his boss had become irreparable to the extent that they could not continue working together, hence the need for him to be sent home to give the county chief room to deliver proper services to the people.
Some of them also accused the Deputy Governor of character assassination, adding that he had not only dented the image of Governor Orengo but also those of the MCAs that he accused of having been compromised.
MCAs from Alego/Usonga Constituency stated that Mr Oduol’s wrangles with his boss had become a thorn in their flesh, saying that the whole war had placed them in a very bad light.
The matter was then put into question by the Siaya County Assembly Speaker George Okode before the members unanimously approved the report by way of roll call, thereby removing the Deputy Governor from office.
But the Senate voted to shoot down the report by the Special Committee recommending the removal from office of the Deputy Governor through impeachment.
27 Senators voted against both charges levelled against the Deputy Governor with 16 Senators voting to support the charges.
The Senate Speaker, Amason Jeffa Kingi, said the result of the vote means the Senate had failed to remove the Deputy Governor from office therefore he continues to serve as the Deputy Governor of Siaya County.
Orengo told the Senate that his working relationship with Deputy Governor William Oduol was beyond repair and he regrets ignoring the advice of ODM leader Raila Odinga not to pick him.
“I regret ignoring the advice given to me by ODM party Leader Raila Odinga and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga against choosing Oduol as my running mate during the 2022 General Election. I experienced the consequences just after the election for the short time I left him to be in charge of the county as I pursued Raila’s presidential election petition,” he said.
In May this year, Oduol said his working relationship with Orengo had worsened after the flop of impeachment.
Making his submissions before the Standing Committee on Devolution and Inter-Governmental Relations in May this year, Oduol said the county government had incessantly frustrated him by denying him facilitation fees and allowances.
Oduol claimed Orengo had used goons to lock his office, rendering it incapacitated, and preventing him from executing his duties.
