In Siaya’s political landscape, few contests have attracted as much hushed attention as the one now unfolding ahead of the Ugunja parliamentary by-election. The duel is not between ordinary candidates but between two of Raila Odinga’s most prominent lieutenants: Governor James Aggrey Bob Orengo and Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi.
To the casual observer, the spectacle looks like a dangerous family feud within ODM, one that could leave Raila sleepless as his lieutenants turn their fire on each other. Yet, according to an insider who spoke to SIAYA TODAY on condition of anonymity, the ODM leader is anything but restless.
“Baba is slightly amused,” the insider chuckled. “He encourages anyone with the balls to challenge Nyatieng,” he added, invoking Raila’s fond nickname for Orengo. “But make no mistake, Orengo remains an important cog in Baba’s entrenchment in national politics. He is untouchable in that inner circle.”
This revelation captures the paradox of Siaya’s unfolding storm: a battle that appears to imperil Raila’s house, yet one he watches with the calm assurance of a man who knows where true loyalty lies.
Orengo: The Veteran Strategist
To understand why Orengo inspires such confidence from Raila, one must revisit his decades-long journey. Few Kenyan politicians have lived as many political lives as James Aggrey Bob Orengo.
From his fiery student days at the University of Nairobi, where he was expelled for activism, to his later years as a pro-democracy stalwart and Raila’s trench mate in the Second Liberation, Orengo has carried both scars and victories. He has been jailed, vilified, written off—and yet always returns, often stronger, his political intellect sharpened by adversity.
In ODM circles, Orengo is more than a governor. He is a strategist, legal mind, and living symbol of the party’s revolutionary roots. His relationship with Raila is both political and personal, forged in struggle and sacrifice. That is why when outsiders speculate about his supposed vulnerability, those who know Baba’s thinking dismiss such talk as fantasy.
Wandayi: The Ambitious Heir Apparent
On the other side of the divide stands Opiyo Wandayi, the Energy CS and former Ugunja MP. At 52, Wandayi embodies the generation that came of age under the political tutelage of Raila’s ODM but now seeks its own space. He is eloquent, energetic, and fiercely ambitious.
In his years in Parliament, Wandayi distinguished himself as a combative legislator, even earning suspension for disrupting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s 2016 State of the Nation address. Among his supporters, he represents boldness; among his critics, recklessness.
As CS, his visibility has grown. And with growth comes appetite. Many in Siaya whisper that Wandayi sees himself not merely as a regional kingpin but as a future national player. But to ascend, he must first loosen Orengo’s grip on Siaya—a daunting prospect given the governor’s roots and Raila’s backing.
Public Spats, Private Maneuvers
The rivalry has spilled into public. Wandayi has dismissed Orengo as “an embarrassment to the people of Siaya” at events in Upanda Nina and Migori, even in front of President William Ruto. Behind closed doors, he has been hosting Siaya MCAs at his Sijimbo home, cultivating what some describe as a silent army of loyalists.
The contest became glaring during the recent Siaya leaders’ trip to State House. Wandayi’s handpicked delegation conspicuously excluded Orengo’s allies. It took Raila’s intervention to secure Orengo’s spot—an unmistakable sign of where ultimate authority still rests.
Wandayi has also been warming up to Ugenya MP and MDG leader David Ochieng, fueling speculation of a broader alliance to challenge Orengo’s hold on Siaya by 2027.
The Ugunja By-Election Fault Line
At the center of this tug-of-war is the Ugunja parliamentary by-election, triggered by the appointment of Wandayi as a Cabinet Secretary in Ruto’s Government. Wandayi has thrown his weight behind Moses Omondi, a candidate whose roots lie in Ugenya’s Karuoth clan of Alego-Usonga.
For many in Ugunja, Omondi’s candidacy is controversial. The constituency itself was carved out of Ugenya after long, bitter agitation. To import a candidate with Ugenya or Alego ties feels like an insult to their hard-won identity. “Why take us back to Ugenya?” locals ask.
Governor Orengo has been categorical: no leader, however powerful, should impose a candidate on the people. He insists that ODM must allow a free, democratic process. Even President Ruto, during his recent Siaya visit, seemed to echo Orengo’s view: Ugunja deserves a broad-based leader, not one handpicked by a power broker.
But Omondi’s campaign already bears the burden of Wandayi’s overbearing endorsement. “He could have done better if Wandayi kept a low profile,” the ODM insider told SIAYA TODAY. “Instead, his candidacy is tainted by the shadow of a silent rebellion. Worse, Wandayi’s inner circle includes a political buffoon whose antics only repel voters.”
Raila’s Amused Watch
The big question is: what does Raila make of all this? Outsiders speculate about division, even disintegration. But insiders insist Baba is not troubled.
“He knows Wandayi’s ambition,” said the source. “But he also knows the weight of Orengo. Nyatieng is irreplaceable in Raila’s architecture. That’s why Baba smiles when people talk of challengers—he knows where the ground is.”
Realizing this, Wandayi has recalibrated. He no longer openly positions himself against Orengo. Instead, he is channeling his energy into sponsoring what insiders call a “silent uprising”—from the ODM secretariat to the Ugunja by-election structures.
Beyond Ugunja: A Battle for Siaya’s Future
The Ugunja contest is not just about a parliamentary seat. It is a proxy war for Siaya’s soul. Orengo represents continuity, loyalty, and the revolutionary ethos of ODM. Wandayi represents ambition, generational change, and the impatience of those who feel their time has come.
How ODM navigates this clash will shape not only the by-election outcome but also the 2027 political map. For now, Orengo remains fortified by grassroots goodwill and Raila’s quiet blessing. Wandayi, meanwhile, faces the peril of being seen as overreaching—an ambitious heir who misjudged the weight of the crown.
As one veteran Siaya politician put it: “In Luo politics, loyalty is not bought; it is earned over decades. Orengo has it. Wandayi is still trying to prove he deserves it.”
And so, in the fields and villages of Ugunja, amid campaign posters and hushed meetings, a silent war grinds on—one whose outcome will echo far beyond Siaya.
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