By Anderson Ojwang
Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi is a besieged man as he engages in a supremacy battle with National Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Sam Atandi over Siaya leadership.
Wandayi equally has a bone to chew with Siaya Governor James Orengo, his political teacher and mentor, whom he has declared total war on over his opposition to the broad-based alliance.
Equally, Wandayi has been salivating over the Luo community kingpin position and faces off with several other admirers of the throne.
More importantly, Wandayi has been accused of failing to deliver on his mandate in the provision of electricity and stabilising the power supply in Siaya and other parts of Nyanza.
President William Ruto, on March 31, 2026, during his recent four-day tour of Nyanza, stirred a storm with his remark to Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and his Energy counterpart, Opiyo Wandayi, by using a Luo adjective “ti gi wiyi” (use your head).
In various forums, residents have taken the President’s statement as an indictment of the duo for failing to initiate meaningful development in their region and instead waiting for him to give them directions on the projects to be implemented in the area.
The residents have accused the two Cabinet Secretaries of being too preoccupied with and vocal on political matters while doing little in terms of development for the region.
Atandi is credited with earmarking several development projects for the region but has allegedly been let down by Wandayi and his team.
Supremacy battle
A supremacy battle has erupted in Siaya between Wandayi and Atandi, and the battle is not only about the gubernatorial race and candidatures but also service delivery and development projects.
Various sources revealed that Atandi and his team have been irked by Wandayi’s inability and ineffectiveness in delivering last-mile electricity projects and stabilising the power supply in the county.
The various sources intimated to the writer that the local leadership and residents are bitter that the county still suffers electricity outages whenever it rains and that Wandayi had failed to upgrade the system even after Atandi made provision in the budget.
Sources within and outside the party from Siaya told Western Insight that Wandayi prefers to engage in public relations and has failed to deliver.
Atandi prefers the candidature of former Alego Usonga MP Nicholas Gumbo, while Wandayi has been toying with the idea of supporting County Assembly Speaker George Okode.
Gumbo recently defected from UDA to ODM and has emerged as the leading candidate for ODM to face incumbent James Orengo in the 2027 elections.
“On the issue of Siaya, and without lying, we need a stronger candidate who can deliver the gubernatorial seat. Of all the aspirants, Gumbo emerges at the top. Let nobody lie to you that it is too early to name a candidate.
“There will be no other candidate. Gumbo is our candidate, and we want to work and support him to win the seat.
“Gumbo is the symbol of the party, and we will support him by all means, and I will do what it takes,” he said.
But Wandayi has been holding a series of meetings with leaders from Siaya and has been grooming County Assembly Speaker George Okode for the seat.
Wandayi has also been propping up other candidates for various elective posts in the county to become the main leader in Siaya and Nyanza.
Okode said he was seeking the support of Siaya residents to unseat Governor James Orengo, accusing the current administration of failing to deliver the level of development expected since the advent of devolution.
“Siaya has lagged behind in terms of development for years, and I would like to fix it in 2027, but I cannot do it without your support. That is why I am pleading with the Siaya electorate to consider my candidacy,” Okode said.
Meetings
In a media address at his Sijimbo village home in Ugunja Sub-County after meeting members of the Siaya County Assembly, led by Okode, Wandayi criticised Orengo, saying he would no longer take a back seat in Siaya County politics.
“I will personally not allow myself to be a party to a situation where we make another mistake in this county,” he said, adding, “The position of the county governor is a very important one in the development of a county, and for that reason, as a people gathered here today and many others who are not here, we have resolved that we shall not make a mistake.”
On October 19, 2026, Wandayi rallied more than 30 Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) and other elected leaders behind his second-term bid.
The leaders, meeting at Ciala Resort in Kisumu ahead of the 2027 General Election, declared their intention to campaign for Ruto across Siaya County under the leadership of ODM party leader Oburu Oginga.
Wandayi and his team went ahead and dismantled Orengo’s grip on the Assembly, propping up the Speaker, who also declared his interest in the Siaya gubernatorial seat.
The anti-Orengo team took control of the Assembly, undermining his government.
Loyalists defect
Wandayi masterminded a political coup against Orengo after convincing two of the Governor’s diehard supporters to return to the broad-based alliance.
“As a prodigal son who sat with you in Eldoret, I went on a benchmarking visit in Homa Bay. I want to say that two days ago, without coercion, I made it clear that I am coming back to the party which the late Raila Amolo Odinga left us. I support Ruto for two terms,” said Gordon Onguru.
Wandayi said, “In fact, within a very short time, we have succeeded in dismantling the political infrastructure of Governor Orengo in Siaya.
“That gives me the confidence that, as we move along, Siaya will be a broad-based county, and our people, who are used to voting in one direction, will not change this.”
Two years ago, Oburu Odinga, now ODM party leader, had endorsed Wandayi for future leadership and described him as Raila’s student.
Development to haunt
Wandayi may come face to face with the reality of his ability to deliver on his mandate in development projects, and it will be a matter of time before reality catches up with him.
