By Anderson Ojwang
Despite Siaya Governor James Orengo being in the kitchen cabinet and a close confidant of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, he is yet to understand, comprehend, and actualise the scripts and patterns of his party leader’s politics.
While Orengo still believes in the old brand of politics—activism, attack, criticism, confrontation, and playing hardball—his boss moved away from that style of politics in 1997 when he entered into cooperation with the then President, the late Daniel Arap Moi.
Raila changed his approach from confrontation, activism, and hardball tactics to negotiation, dialogue, compromise, and cooperation, which have characterised his politics in recent years.
That is why Orengo is currently becoming a lone voice in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), opposing the emerging cooperation between Ruto and Raila.
Upon his return from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he failed to win the African Union Commission Chairman seat, Raila met President Ruto in Mombasa. He later flew to Kisumu, where he held a consultative meeting with the region’s leadership.
Raila subsequently held a series of meetings in Migori, Homa Bay, and Migori counties. Last Friday, he convened a consultative meeting with all ODM members from Western Kenya in Busia.
Before Raila embarked on his campaign for the AU seat, he had entered into a broad-based government in which senior ODM leaders—John Mbadi, Hassan Ali Joho, Opiyo Wandayi, and Wycliffe Oparanya—were all appointed as cabinet secretaries.
At a funeral in Siaya over the weekend, Alego MP Sam Atandi, who spoke before Orengo arrived, said the ongoing consultations would eventually lead to President Ruto working with Raila.
“We have known our friends and enemies. We support Raila in his consultative meetings, and we are convinced we are going to work with President Ruto to ensure peace prevails in the country.
Those who oppose this proposed move are doing so for their own interests. We support Raila’s decision to consult before making his next move.
Raila has promised me something significant in this new arrangement, and I know my people of Alego support it,” he said.
However, Orengo, who also spoke at the funeral, cautioned the ODM and the Luo community against rushing into political arrangements without considering other dynamics at play.
“I am a veteran politician. I was there during the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Moi, the late Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta, and now the current administration. I have a wealth of experience, and you should listen to me.
We must not rush into any political arrangements. We must hold consultations and consider various emerging dynamics.
When you see some people in a hurry to actualise this, be very worried. I want to warn you, my people—let us not be in a hurry. Hurry-hurry has no blessings.
I am also a senior member of the party, and at some point, they will listen to me. I am concerned about the speed and the interests some people have in these negotiations,” he said.
However, the Chairman of the Luo Council of Elders, Mzee Odungi Randa, welcomed the weekend’s declaration by the Duond Luo Nairobi chapter, which expressed support for Raila and Ruto’s cooperation.
“Next week, after various branches of my outfit have declared their stand, my executive will issue a statement on the matter. I am still waiting for branches like Busia, Kitale, Bungoma, and Nakuru, among others, to make their positions clear.
We support the engagement Raila and Ruto have undertaken, and we support their political arrangements.
I will issue a substantive statement this coming week. We support the ongoing consultations,” he said in a telephone interview.
Recently, the MCAs, led by the Leader of the Majority in the Siaya Assembly, Mr Edwin Martin Otieno, criticised a section of Nyanza leaders who oppose President Ruto.
“Ruto supported Raila to become Prime Minister. Currently, he has appointed some of our leaders into the government. It is unfortunate that some leaders want to bring village politics to undermine the development we are witnessing. We must call them out,” he said.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has consistently stated in recent functions that the party was right to work with the government and that they would not engage in street demonstrations or demonise the government.
“This time, as a community, we are not going to the streets. We are supporting the government of the day to deliver on its mandate.
We will support the leader who wants to unite Kenya and distribute the national cake equitably.
It is time we focused on development and took advantage of the opportunities the government is bringing our way. We have been marginalised for a long time,” she said.
Mbadi and Wandayi have also maintained that the party and the community support the government of the day in delivering on its mandate to the people.
“As it stands, we now know our friends and enemies. If you walk with our enemies, we will treat you in the same manner.
We now know who our genuine friends are and those who do not mean well for us.
I want you to know that we are in ODM. I am a senior member of ODM. So wherever ODM issues are being discussed, I am also in attendance,” Wandayi recently said.
