Leaders want Orengo, deputy to bury hatchet

Siaya, Wednesday, May 3, 2023

K.N.A By Philip Onyango

Elected Members of Parliament from Siaya are engaged in quiet talks aimed at getting area governor, James Orengo and his deputy William Oduol patch up their differences, Gem Member of Parliament, Elisha Ochieng Odhiambo has said.

Odhiambo says that the covert negotiations have been going on about the need for all elected leaders to meet and agree on priorities that will drive Siaya forward.

The legislator, who spoke at Mutumbu in North Gem ward, urged the two to look for a mediator that will help broker a truce.

“Ultimately, the governor and his deputy need a pastor to help them hug each other so that normalcy in terms of activities can get back to normal,” said Odhiambo.

He urged them to accept the reality of democracy that people, with divergent opinions can stay in the same house, adding that the divergent view can be used positively to bring synergy that can help the development of the county.

“If we want to ensure that Siaya becomes a citadel of investments, we must have our priorities right,” said the Gem Member of Parliament.

At the same time, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) officials in Siaya are blaming the disagreement between Orengo and his deputy Oduol on alleged corrupt deals and warned that unless the duo agrees to sort out their differences without impacting on service delivery, they will invite the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the devolved unit.

Led by Siaya UDA coordinator, Fredrick Oyugi Dor, the ruling party officials who spoke at Ugunja town during a membership recruitment drive challenged the two to come out in the open and tell Siaya residents the cause of their disagreement, just months into office.

Dor said that if the two cannot work together, then the best thing would be for them to resign from their positions and seek fresh mandate from the voters.

Orengo and his deputy have been at logger heads for close to three months, with Oduol, accusing his boss of sidelining him in the management of the county government and alleged corruption.

As a result of his public complaints, Oduol was summoned by the Siaya County Assembly to shed more light and provide evidence of his complaints which he did a fortnight ago.

Last week, Oduol complained of being locked out of a cabinet meeting on alleged orders of the governor, accusations that the office of the governor denied as untrue.

“The deputy governor came for the cabinet meeting at the scheduled time, but left for unknown reasons before the arrival of the governor,” a message from the director of the governor’s press, Benjamin Agina read

Courtesy K.N.A