Governor launches sweeping purge as Siaya politics enter a new phase of power realignment
By James Okoth
Governor James Orengo has set off a political storm in Siaya, launching a wave of realignments that is shaking the foundations of the county’s power structure. What began as a quiet administrative reshuffle has erupted into a full-scale political confrontation as the governor moves to sideline rivals, dismantle the old ODM order and consolidate his control ahead of 2027.
The re-advertisement of several key county positions and the looming appointment of new CECs have exposed deep fault lines within Siaya’s leadership. Those aligned to President Ruto’s broad-based government or linked to the Odinga–Oburu network appear to be the main casualties in what insiders now describe as a deliberate strategy to redraw the county’s political map.
The End of the Oburu–Raila Dominance
For decades, Siaya has been the political heartland of the Odinga family, a region where loyalty to Raila Odinga and Dr Oburu Oginga defined both politics and power. County appointments, contracts and alignments flowed through that network.
But Orengo’s recent moves have disrupted that tradition. The governor is now perceived as building his own power base, one that no longer depends on approval from the Odinga inner circle.
“This is the first real political separation from the Odinga family’s hold in Siaya,” observed a county insider. “Orengo is carefully dismantling the old order while presenting it as routine governance.”
While the governor remains outwardly respectful of Raila, his decisions, from senior staff changes to his anticipated CEC reshuffle, are seen as part of a broader political succession project in which Orengo is positioning himself as the next dominant voice in Luo Nyanza politics.
Atandi and Elisha: The Shifting Poles of Opposition
The reshuffle also coincides with shifting loyalties among key Siaya leaders. Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, once a vocal ODM loyalist, has lately been associated with President William Ruto’s broad-based political approach, signalling an ideological drift from ODM.
Atandi’s open criticism of Orengo’s leadership and his perceived alignment with UDA-friendly voices has effectively placed him in the county’s emerging opposition camp.
In Gem Constituency, MP Elisha Odhiambo has gone further, publicly embracing Ruto’s broad-based government philosophy, a stance that ODM insiders initially viewed as betrayal. Elisha’s quiet consultations with State House and his influence in grassroots networks make him a potent political counterforce within the county.
The two MPs’ realignments have given Orengo justification to purge or sideline individuals perceived as pro-Ruto or linked to the two-term narrative, effectively turning the county administration into a frontline of political control.
Purge and Power Consolidation
This week, Orengo re-advertised several top county positions, effectively sending home a number of officials in a move widely read as part of a broader political purge.
Among those affected are County Information Management Officer Makamu wa Makamu and several staffers in the County Delivery Unit, departments considered sensitive for political communication and project coordination.
Though no official explanation was given, political observers argue that the move was aimed at neutralising dissent and reclaiming absolute control over the county’s messaging and strategic agenda.
“He is cleaning house politically, not administratively,” said one Siaya resident. “The governor is removing those who no longer fit into his new political vision.”
The realignment is also designed to secure Orengo’s grip on local ODM structures, which have recently shown signs of division, especially following Atandi’s and Elisha’s open flirtations with the Ruto camp.
A New Power Structure Emerging
What is unfolding in Siaya is more than a routine political shake-up; it is a strategic repositioning of Orengo’s leadership ahead of 2027.
By neutralising pro-Ruto voices and asserting authority over ODM’s county operations, Orengo is redefining Siaya’s political centre from one dominated by Raila and Oburu to one revolving around himself.
He is said to be building a network of loyalists across key departments, sub-counties and ward-level structures in a new political army that will anchor his influence both within and beyond ODM.
The strategy, insiders say, is to control both the county executive and grassroots political machinery, ensuring that any future political negotiation in Nyanza, especially in a post-Raila era, must pass through Orengo.
The Larger ODM Picture
Within ODM, Orengo’s moves are being interpreted in two ways. His supporters describe him as a reformer modernising politics, giving the county independence from personality-driven politics. His critics, however, see a calculated centralisation of power, meant to sideline historical allies and elevate loyalists under the guise of administrative renewal.
Yet one thing is certain: Siaya is no longer politically monolithic. The once-unquestioned ODM fortress is now a terrain of subtle power plays, emerging factions and realignment towards national relevance.
Governor Orengo’s current moves have little to do with performance and everything to do with political control.
By reconstituting his cabinet and administration, he is sending a clear message that the age of indirect rule through political elders is over.
In the process, Siaya is becoming a microcosm of Kenya’s evolving political realignment, where loyalty to personalities is giving way to pragmatic power-building.
As one long-time ODM strategist put it:
“What Orengo is doing is not rebellion but evolution. He is positioning himself for the next political chapter, with or without Raila.”
Inside Siaya’s Power Shift
Who’s Losing Influence:
● Long-serving Odinga–Oburu loyalists within the county administration.
● Officials perceived to support Ruto’s broad-based agenda.
Who’s Rising:
● Orengo’s loyal technocrats and younger allies across key departments.
● Grassroots coordinators aligned with the governor’s 2027 strategy.
What It Means:
● A weakened ODM hierarchy in Siaya.
● Orengo emerging as a new regional power broker.
● Early tremors of a post-Raila political era taking shape in Nyanza.
