Orengo’s fresh rebellion over Raila’s state dalliance evokes past bitter fallout with ODM leader
When a group christening themselves as professionals from the Luo community threatened to sponsor an impeachment motion against Orengo for criticising the broad-based government, the fiery county chief found himself in familiar territory.
Siaya Governor James Orengo’s profile is incomplete without his chequered history of rebellion and fight against injustices.
A fresh difference pitting him against allies of his party boss, Raila Odinga, has caught the eyes of observers on whether the veteran politician is about to make history repeat itself.
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When a group christening themselves as professionals from the Luo community threatened to sponsor an impeachment motion against Orengo for criticising the broad-based government, the fiery county chief found himself in familiar territory.
Attacks against him came days after Governor Orengo called out senior politicians over what he termed as “sycophancy” to the government.
In a statement issued Wednesday morning in Nairobi, a Nyanza professionals organisation dubbed Ramogi Professional Caucus reiterated that the Luo community is united behind the Ruto-Raila pact for development.
"We want to tell Siaya Governor James Orengo that we are not happy with his remarks at Oduor's burial on Saturday. As a community, we are united and fully support the broad-based government. This is the only way we can ensure we develop economically. We cannot be in opposition forever," said Joshua Nyamori, the group’s Chairman.
They also demanded an apology from Orengo for speaking down to Ruto and embarrassing Odinga at his lowest moment.
Political observers who spoke to The Eastleigh Voice backed Orengo’s stance, arguing that he is correct in pointing out the ills the Ruto administration is committing.
Renowned activist and academician Fred Ogolla said that it's unfortunate the so-called professionals cannot concentrate on Orengo’s performance as a governor in order to have matters such as corruption, incompetence and service delivery dealt with exhaustively.
“Every governor should be judged based on their oath of allegiance and due execution of office. A stance on Ruto doesn't give ground to any impeachable offence, hence the Luo ‘professionals’ are far from professionals. I guess they are not acting on a brain of their own but must have been sent by a master. I am also a Luo professional. Why haven't they reached out yet I am also from Siaya?” asked Ogolla.
Political analyst Samuel Owida accused those castigating Orengo as busybodies seeking irrelevant, unwarranted attention where there is no concern.
“They're self-centred with parochial interests. What Orengo said and what he has been saying is a commitment to constitutionalism and the rule of law. He also talked of not begging for once right,” Owida stated.
Lawyer Evans Ogada, who specialises in constitutional and administrative law litigation, notes that Orengo’s achievements enshrine him in a pivotal place in Kenya's history as a lion of justice, relentless in courtrooms and on the streets.
“His voice, sharp as a sword, cut through oppression, defending the voiceless with unyielding courage. A beacon of hope, a warrior for rights—undaunted, unbroken, forever etched in the fight for freedom. That deserves some respect. To attempt to reduce Orengo, a tried and tested lawyer, to narrow boxes of mercantile and selfish politics, is indeed absurd as it is stupid,” said Ogada.
Orengo’s falling-out with Odinga in the 1990s and early 2000s was a political epoch.
In the twilight years of the single-party rule, Orengo endeared himself not just as a lawyer to the doyen of opposition politics, Jaramogi Odinga, but his trusted confidant. That was at a time when the younger Odinga was either in detention or away in self-exile.
In the power struggle that ensued in Ford Kenya in the aftermath of Jaramogi’s death in 1994, Orengo threw his hat with Kijana Wamalwa, who was pitted against Raila. Actually, Wamalwa was regarded more as a decoy and Orengo, in reality, the person weighing up to Raila.
Eventually, when the split came and Raila founded his own vehicle, the National Development Party (NDP), Orengo hedged his bets with Wamalwa, bidding his time to take on Raila head-on.
That is how Orengo came to be a presidential candidate on his own in the 2002 elections, as Raila and Wamalwa threw their lot with Kibaki.
Orengo not only lost the presidential vote to Kibaki in his Ugenya Constituency but, to rub it in and show who is the boss, also lost the parliamentary seat to Odinga’s candidate, Archbishop Stephen Ondiek.
Orengo would remain in political cold until he bowed to Odinga and joined the ODM bandwagon in 2007. Multiple sources in Odinga's inner circle allege that Orengo's return to the Orange party didn’t mean a ceasefire, but afforded him an opportunity for sabotage from within.
In the 1997 general election, Orengo overcame the NDP wave and was elected Ugenya MP on a Ford Kenya ticket. His election increased rivalry between him and Odinga as well as between their supporters, who clashed at various functions.
In April 1999, police officers had to intervene after Orengo's supporters attempted to block Odinga from holding a fundraiser in Ugunja.
In 2002, however, the tide turned as Odinga teamed up with Wamalwa and supported former President Mwai Kibaki's bid to succeed Moi.
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