By Anderson Ojwang
Siaya Governor James Orengo has received rare praise from Internal Security Permanent Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for lobbying national government projects for his county.
At the same time, Murkomen took a swipe at Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya for his negative attitude towards national projects.
Murkomen said Orengo, despite his opposition to the government of President William Ruto, still walks to the President and various government ministries to lobby for projects.
“If you look at Siaya, James Orengo, who is opposed to the President, but on issues of development, at night he visits the President to lobby for projects,” he said.
The CS said when he was the Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Orengo frequented his office to lobby for national government projects.
“When I was the CS for Roads, Orengo would frequent my office, saying, ‘You know Murkomen, we were senators together, kindly help me develop road infrastructure,'” he said.
He said some of the infrastructural projects he lobbied for from the ministry included the construction of piers and road networks, which are ongoing.
Recently, President Ruto presided over the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of Usenge Pier in Bondo. The President, who spoke at the function, announced that phase one of the project will be completed in six months.
The development project, spearheaded by the Kenya Ports Authority at a cost of Sh 600 million, will be undertaken in two phases.
The new Usenge Pier will serve as a modern fish landing site and lake transport hub for passengers interconnecting between Luanda K’otieno, Mbita, Homa Bay, Sena and Kisumu.
Upon completion, the facility will ease road transport time from Kisumu by half an hour with water bus and ferry services alongside other scheduled landing sites.
The site will position Lake Victoria as suitable for port logistics, cargo handling, transportation, passenger movement and fish processing while accelerating economic development within the lake region.
Phase one of the project will encompass supply, installation/construction, testing, commissioning and handover of earthworks (cut, fill and leveling), perimeter wall, main gate and guard house. Others include landscaping works and construction of a 25m wide by 200m long jetty.
“After phase one, we will be back for construction of a cold room, dryers and storage facilities,” the President added.
Murkomen said currently Orengo is in the opposition but knows very well that the projects he lobbied for are ongoing.
“I know Orengo will not go far because he used to visit the President at night for projects; he will still come back at night to support Ruto ahead of the elections,” he said.
Murkomen said when he was Sports Minister, Orengo visited his office several times over the completion of construction of Siaya Stadium.
“We helped him and even gave money from the Sports Fund. And all the seats that were removed from Moi International Stadium, Kasarani, during renovations were donated to Siaya County after President Ruto’s direction,” he said.
In 2024, President Ruto pumped over Sh 500M into the upgrade of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Stadium, which had stalled for six years after its inception.
Later in the year, President Ruto launched the new 20,000-seater Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Stadium, where Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and former Prime Minister the late Raila Odinga were in attendance.
Similarly, Defence Cabinet Secretary Hon. Soipan Tuya has also presided over the ground-breaking for the upgrade of Siaya Level 4 Hospital.
The hospital modernization will see the construction of a five-storey block with additional beds, boosting healthcare delivery in Siaya and the wider Nyanza region.
Governor Orengo then lauded Ruto for fulfilling his pledge on the projects.
But Murkomen blamed Natembeya for turning his back on national government projects.
“Governor Natembeya has refused to seek audience with President Ruto over the national projects, and this has undermined the projects in the area,” he said.
Natembeya is a member of the united opposition and a leader of the Tawe movement, which is opposed to the political status quo in the region and nationally.
