Siaya Deputy Governor Dr William Oduol has launched his most scathing political broadside yet against Governor James Orengo, urging voters to reject the county boss in the 2027 elections and accusing his administration of corruption, cronyism and economic mismanagement.
Speaking during a no-holds-barred appearance on HARD TALK, Siaya’s premier biweekly online talk show, Dr Oduol declared that Governor Orengo had “lost direction” and squandered a historic opportunity to transform the county through the much-touted 9-point Nyalore Manifesto, which Oduol said he personally conceptualized.
“The Nyalore manifesto was a solid economic blueprint. Instead of implementing it, the governor abandoned it. Siaya has lost precious time,” Oduol said, adding that the county’s stalled economic momentum was a direct result of failed leadership at the top.
In one of the most explosive moments of the show, Oduol accused Governor Orengo of abetting corruption by reinstating 9 senior county officers who, he claimed, were carryovers from the previous administration and had been flagged by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over alleged economic crimes.
“You cannot preach integrity while surrounding yourself with officers whose records are questionable. That is not reform; that is recycling baggage,” Oduol charged.
On leadership and integrity, the deputy governor dismissed Orengo’s reformist credentials, alleging that appointments within the county were driven by cronyism rather than competence.
“I am a stickler for systems that work. In my corporate career, I hired people smarter than me because that’s how you guarantee results. My record speaks for itself,” Oduol said, insinuating that his professional résumé had become a source of insecurity within the governor’s inner circle.
He recalled the first four months of the Orengo administration when he was literally in charge, the system actually worked; staff salaries and contractors were paid in time.
Oduol also admitted to the existence of a powerful cartel that encroaches on county land hindering the development of Siaya town into a modern metropolis and said in his administration the problem will be sorted out by engaging competent and qualified town planners in a committee that will onboard all stakeholders.
Projecting confidence ahead of the 2027 race, Oduol boldly claimed that Orengo would be “mincemeat” in the ODM Party primaries, insisting that the governor had lost grassroots support.
“Even within ODM, the ground has shifted. The governor has lost touch. Anyone serious on an ODM ticket can defeat him,” he said.
In a shocking reveal the Deputy Governor insinuated that having lost credibility in the ground, there was a big possibility that Orengo would ‘chicken out’ in the race for governor and try his hand instead at national politics.
Dr Oduol also trained his guns on the controversial 66-year lease awarded to Lake Agro Limited in the Yala Swamp Delta, terming it economically illogical and socially destructive.
He questioned why the investor was importing labour from a neighbouring county, using heavy trucks that were “emasculating” Siaya’s road network, and transporting sugarcane outside the county for crushing and value addition.
“Where is the value for Siaya? This makes no investor sense,” he argued, accusing Governor Orengo of undermining the goodwill of riparian communities while publicly posturing as a defender of their rights.
Responding to questions on why he had not resigned following his fallout with the governor, Oduol offered a personal and political explanation.
“I invested enormous time and resources into the Orengo ticket in 2022. Walking away would be an act of cowardice,” he said, adding “to those who voted for this ticket not out of love for Orengo but belief in Oduol’s capacity to turn Siaya around, I would have utterly let them down.”
“My resignation would hand the governor a blank cheque to continue mediocrity unchecked. I cannot be complicit in that.”
A participant from Uyoma pressed Oduol on whether it was ethical to continue drawing a salary despite being sidelined by the governor.
In a candid response, Oduol said his constitutional mandate remained intact.
“Constitutionally, I am the Deputy Governor of Siaya County. I still receive official delegations, and wananchi still come to me for school fees, medical support and other issues,” he explained.
He revealed that most of his perks and emoluments had been withdrawn, and that his salary now sustains the official vehicle and basic operations of the Office of the Deputy Governor.
“And to be ruthlessly honest,” he added, “I spent tens of millions of my hard-earned money on the campaign trail. That salary is merely a token towards recouping what I invested.”
Throughout the show, Dr Oduol came across as blunt, unapologetic and sharply critical, holding his audience spellbound with what many participants described as rare political candour.
HARD TALK, moderated by veteran Siaya journalist Lawrence Jeffrey, has built a reputation for tough questions and unfiltered conversations—and Oduol’s appearance may go down as one of its most explosive episodes yet.
As the 2027 elections draw closer, one thing is clear: Siaya’s political temperatures are rising, and the battle lines within ODM are now firmly drawn.
