By Anderson Ojwang
The clock could be ticking for Siaya Governor James Orengo, and his time in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) could be coming to an abrupt end.
Orengo, once a close confidant of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, is finding himself increasingly isolated over his opposition to the broad-based government.
Orengo could be waking up to the sudden reality that ODM and the Odingas have long discarded the hard edge of politics played in the public gallery and streets for a more accommodating approach.
Orengo could still be stuck in the old age of politics of activism, the public gallery, and public protests, unaware of what the office of the Governor bestows on him in terms of service delivery and accountability to the public.
On Sunday in Migori County, during President William Ruto’s tour of the region, Siaya Senator Dr Oburu Oginga asked Orengo to ship out if he was against the broad-based government.
Oburu also asked Orengo to deliver on his mandate as the Governor of Siaya instead of concentrating on the politics of activism.
“Personally, I am a very truthful man and I am pained. I come from Siaya, and when my own Governor stands up and says that he is annoyed, I don’t know who he is annoyed by, or what he is annoyed about. And he says he just wants to talk about the truth – the truth? What truth?
Me, I never lie. I always say the truth.
And the truth of the matter, Your Excellency, is that we are in a broad-based government, not as individual Members of Parliament and not as individual Senators.
We are in this broad-based government as a result of a resolution of our party, ODM. And the party signed a ten-point agreement with the UDA government, and all of us were there.
Those who are annoyed and who think this broad-based government is not right, they are actually vomiting on us from within. Why don’t you get out and vomit from without?
Because we want our party ODM to have a nice smell, and we want to move on with our people. And before these agreements were signed, there was a lot of consultation. Raila went round the country as the party leader of ODM, consulting the people.
I therefore want to say, Your Excellency, we are talking for our people. When we are being told we have to talk for our rights, Your Excellency, that is what we are fighting for.
That is why we are elected – to do the same. The Governor is not given a mandate to fight for his people’s rights. He is given a mandate to serve his people.
He is given resources to serve his people. This is the time to serve your people. This is not the time to fight for their rights. Which rights do you want to fight for more than what they eat? What and which right are you fighting for?
Which rights are you fighting for more than roads, hospitals, water, and electricity which one do you want us to fight for?
Which one do you want us to go to the streets to fight for? If you want to fight, there is a lot of space elsewhere where you can do that fighting. For us, our people are waiting for service. This is the time to work, and we are not waiting to eat anyone’s share.
We are going to eat our share given to us rightfully because we are taxpayers. We are Kenyans, and we have a right. I do not know where else you want to go and fight. Let the President do his part, and the Governor should do his part.
When elections come, let those who are opposed to what we are doing come out, and we will compete in a democratic process – space created by our Constitution and the rule of law,” he said.
But Orengo had earlier declared that he shall speak the truth and was ready to go to jail and join demonstrations against the current government.
“The truth shall make you free, and we must have leadership nationally and continentally that believes in the law. And the truth.
I, James Aggrey Bob Orengo, who believes in the rule of law and I believe in the Constitution, trained by the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and I have worked with Raila Amolo Odinga.
I cannot let Kenyans and my community down by not speaking the truth. I will continue speaking the truth.
And if there is anybody who wants to take any action against me, I want to tell them that me, I have been through those trials and tribulations. I am a tested iron bar. I don’t fear anything in this world. I have been through the trenches. Even those who fear night runners, who cannot go out at night, want to challenge Orengo?
I am prepared to go back to jail. I am prepared to go back to the streets. This is not a country to be proud of. This is a country where young people – the Gen Z – you have to come out, and we are prepared to join you,” he said.
Alego MP Sam Atandi dismissed Orengo’s declaration that he was ready to go back to jail and to the streets, saying that his age doesn’t allow him.
“We are in the government to bring transformation to our people. Jail is like hell. We have the opportunity to work with the government, and that is what we are doing here,” he said.
