- Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi blasted Siaya governor James Orengo, accusing him of presiding over a collapsed county
- During a condolence visit in Ugunja, Wandayi lamented the sorry state of healthcare and essential services in Siaya
- He cited a KSh1.2B water project stalled by county inaction, blaming poor leadership and misplaced priorities
- Wandayi urged the county boss to focus on service delivery, warning that Siaya had become a national embarrassment
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Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Siaya – The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is rocking from within as Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi launched an attack on Siaya governor James Orengo.
Orengo has come under a barrage of salvos by ODM luminaries over his hardline stand against the outfit’s working agreement with President William Ruto’s administration.
The latest confrontation unfolded in Sigomere, Ugunja, during Wandayi’s visit to condole with a family that tragically lost nine members in a devastating house fire.
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While the visit was meant to offer comfort and solidarity, it quickly morphed into a platform for the CS to air deep grievances against the county leadership.
Wandayi, who is a former MP for Ugunja and a prominent ODM figure, spared no words in criticising Orengo’s administration.
He decried what he termed a complete breakdown of essential services across Siaya, pointing specifically to the state of healthcare in the region.
According to Wandayi, hospitals like Simenya, Sigomere, and Ambira had become shadows of themselves, with patients being turned away due to a lack of essential supplies.
The CS expressed his frustration as he described Siaya as a county that had become an embarrassment to the rest of the country.
“What is happening in Siaya today, Siaya as a county, is a big embarrassment. What is happening in Siaya is a big embarrassment. As a cabinet secretary, I travelled to all these counties, but Siaya county is not only an embarrassment to us, but is indeed something extremely shameful. That Siaya county has become the laughing stock in the community of counties in this country,” Wandayi hit out.
What is Wandayi’s advice to Orengo
In particular, he highlighted the fate of a KSh1.2 billion water project funded by the national government to benefit the people of Ugunja.
According to Wandayi, despite the project being near completion, the county government had failed to undertake the final step of last-mile connectivity, thereby denying residents access to clean and safe water.
Wandayi painted a grim picture of governance under Orengo’s watch, suggesting that the leadership was more preoccupied with political theatrics than actual service delivery.
In a veiled warning, he urged the governor to refocus his priorities and take charge of the mandate he was elected to fulfil.
“I want to plead with our governor, please, bwana governor, focus, focus, focus, focus on service delivery to the people of Siaya. With the support of the National Government, I brought a water project worth KSh 1.2 billion.
As a responsible county government, what they should be telling us is what the plans they have to ensure that they complete the last mile connectivity, so that the water can reach the people in their homesteads, in their houses. It cannot be just the issue of jumping up and down every day, and yet, service delivery in the county has collapsed completely,” he added.
Why should Orengo leave ODM
Earlier, Siaya senator Oburu Odinga criticised party members opposing the cooperation between Raila Odinga and Ruto.
He specifically addressed Orengo, suggesting that those unhappy with the alliance should leave the ODM party.
Oburu expressed frustration over internal dissent, stating that critics were harming the party from within and should voice their concerns from outside.
He emphasised that the collaboration was benefiting the Luo community and urged members to support it.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
