Orengo’s defiance in ODM stirs debate amid push for the broad-based gov’t

Siaya Governor James Orengo has stirred controversy within the ODM Party following his open defiance of the Orange party’s newfound relationship with the ruling UDA Party.

Last week, Orengo boldly told ODM supporters in front of Raila Odinga and President William Ruto that they should stand up and fight for their rights.

“I cannot be a praise-singer. We fought for a democratic Constitution where people should speak freely. I urge Kenyans to tell their leaders the truth. This country will go to the dogs again if the kind of language we hear continues. If anything is brought to Siaya County, it will be as a matter of right, not as a favour," the governor said.  “There is a need to fight got your rights and you will  still have a better country.”

In response, ODM Deputy Party Leader and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi says that although the ODM Party has internal democracy, Raila Odinga remains its party leader.

“Raila Odinga is our party leader and what he says is what we follow as a party, we have internal party democracy and what Orengo is doing is exercising the democracy within ODM,” said Osotsi.

Orengo’s remarks have equally rubbed some ODM members the wrong way.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, Budget Committee Chair and Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi accused Orengo of pulling a confrontational streak with the broad-based government arrangement and painting the ODM party in bad light.

“Orengo has always thrived in the opposition he uses it to evade accountability,” noted Atandi.

Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi, while addressing mourners in Siaya last weekend,d told President Ruto that the region was fully behind Raila Odinga and the broad-based government.

Wandayi said that dissenting voices from the ODM backyards across the country should not be used to show that the Orange party is not in support of the broad-based government.