By Anderson Ojwang
Will Siaya Governor James Orengo escape the scalpel of his famous quote, ‘that government eats their children’, in an emerging duel with his party leader, Raila Odinga, over his opposition to the broad-based government?
Orengo may currently become a victim of his famous quote as he faces a battle of his life as his once close allies have turned the sword against him for opposing President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila’s political pact.
The battle is unfolding in various forms, with a section of members of the county assembly allied to his opponents grappling with the possibility of an impeachment.
While MCAS allied with Orengo are reading and strategising on how to counter them should they table the motion.
Sources have revealed to Western Insight media of a planned Sunday meeting at one of the homes of a senior politician from the region, where he will host 20 MCAS for a strategy meeting.
“Yes, there is a meeting on Sunday that has been camouflaged as celebrating Easter holiday, but in an actual sense it’s about taming Orengo and, if possible, impeachment,” said our sources.
But Yimbo East MCA Francis Otiato confirmed that a section of their members were toying with the possibility of impeaching Orengo, but added that they will fail miserably.
“I have heard of schemes to impeach Orengo.
That is a bad dream.
We are waiting for them and we will meet at the assembly.
Tell me Orengo’s sin.
We must allow for divergent views to grow our democracy,” he said.
He said Orengo should be listened to, and those who have turned his divergent view into a personal war must be ready for a sad wake-up call shortly.
The battle has also moved to various Siaya WhatsApp walls, with residents having divergent views on the matter.
In one of the comments reads “ I have heard rumours that MCAS intends to table a motion to remove Governor Orengo from office.
If they succeed in doing so, Alego will be the happiest sub-county.
My friend Oduol will take over for the next 12 years.
He will serve for the remainder of Orengo’s term, which will not be counted as it will be less than two and a half years to the next scheduled election.
He will have another ten years from 2027. Jo Alego is encouraging MCAS to go on.”
One post read, “ Because of their noise-making and senseless utterances, lawyers have created a perception that they own knowledge and leadership.
Truth is, most of them are laggards in management and creative thoughts.”
Another post read, “MPS like Atandi have joined praise and worship teams.
Orengo is very right in asking Ruto’s government for accountability.
MCAS should ask Orengo the right questions instead of this mentality to impeach him.”
Raila yesterday responded by saying he was following the ongoing discussions on the relationship between the party and the Kenya Kwanza Administration.
He warned the members to exercise decorum, civility and respect.
“Mr Odinga appeals to ODM members and leaders to exercise decorum, civility, restraint and respect for each other as they debate the current state of affairs and future of the party,” he said.
In a statement by his press secretary, Dennis Onyango reads in parts, “ He is also following the various interpretations of the memorandum of understanding with a united democratic alliance, with keen interest.
Mr Odinga believes the discussions are not unique to ODM and are in line with similar such engagements that have gone on in equally strong parties established democracies.
It is the position of the party leader that at the appropriate time, relevant organs of the party will harmonise the diverse views and come up with a harmonised position on the way forward.”
We recently revealed the changing fortunes for Siaya Governor James Orengo, who previously had the ears and eyes of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.
In his place, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has assumed the role and is currently Raila and his elder brother, Siaya Senator Dr Oburu Oginga, a new kid on the block.
Wandayi is seen as a possible heir apparent to Raila’s throne and probably a suitable candidate to take over from Orengo in the 2027 gubernatorial elections.
Recently, in Siaya, during the burial of Raila’s long serving and trusted aide George Oduor that was also attended by President Ruto, Orengo did not fail to state his disapproval of the union and went ahead to say that he would not fall to praise and worship songs as had been exhibited by previous speakers from the region.
Orengo said he cannot sing or praise the government and that it was the right of the people of Siaya to receive development from the government.
“What I am trying to say is that let’s build a society that is built on the Constitution and the rule of law. We can say many things, but for me, I cannot praise singing.
Because we fought for a democratic constitution, where people should talk. I was in Parliament when people used to tell President Daniel Arap Moi that there is nowhere you will go and that you will be in power until the day you want to go.
They told Moi then, and I was a member of parliament at the time.
There were only a few of us who said we could not have this system of government, and Raila was the head at that time, when Jaramogi had died, that we did not want that system of government.
So I am asking you, Kenyans, this constitution that we fought for, it is a very difficult document to keep and if we keep on singing praises every time, we will not have a country.
So I urge you, tell your leaders the truth.
Mr. President, when you came here for the first time, I was the only one who was here to receive you.
I was here because I was convinced that institutions must work.
Even Rarieda MP Paul Otiende Amollo, who is here, said he cannot come.
I tried to persuade him but failed.
I was here alone with you.
Because I don’t sing praise, I believe you are the president, and we are going to talk.
So this country will go to the dogs again if the kind of language I am hearing here today continues.
When you have something to be brought to Siaya, it is a matter of our right, it is not like you are being given, it’s a matter of right
I cried when I was in parliament with John Okwanyo, Odongo Omamo, among others, and I was the only backbencher.
They used to tell me that I should be in the government. But I told them all must not be in the government,” he said.
Siaya senator Dr Oburu Odinga set the tone by declaring they were rightfully in the broad-based government and had no reason to pull out.
“We joined the broad-based government to help you stabilise the government, and we were not worried by those objecting to the new political formation.
We want to encourage the country to be peaceful.
We are going to work together, and those of our friends who think otherwise should also continue to think otherwise, and we will remain friends with them, but they should know that as ODM, we have decided to work in this broad-based government.
We have lent you people to work with you, and what I want to appeal for, let our region gets its share of development,” he said.
Wandayi, following the footsteps of Obur,u declared that the community was in government to stay and that they had given Raila the mandate to work with the president.
“I want to thank Raila for agreeing to work with you closely to unite this country.
Your Excellency, where you sit be rest assured that Baba has got our collective mandate as the people of this region to assist you unite this country.
And from where we sit your Excellency, there is no turning back, we have made a decision, that we are working with you and we are doing this to the end.
Your Excellency, do not be threatened by anything or anybody. And those shouting Ruto must go, I want to tell you this, he is going nowhere.
In this region, we are not known to be double speakers ,we say what we believe in and we do what we say.
We have said in one accord, we are in this government as a people, and we want to continue in that manner,” he said.
Alego MP Sam Atandi asked Orengo to concentrate on managing Siaya county government where he claimed he had failed to deliver.
“We are in government.
We are participating in creating policies for this government.
And we support this government inside and outside parliament.
I want to tell my governor, Orengo, that last weekend, we were at a funeral in Siaya, when the president came to condole with us.
My governor made certain remarks that were distasteful.
I want to tell Orengo that Luo’s were not created to stay in the opposition.
I know he has been in opposition since he was born, and there is nothing he understands other than opposition.
Let him concentrate on managing Siaya County,” he said.
