Siaya’s political temperature is already rising as rival camps launch early charm offensives in Alego-Usonga, the county’s most populous constituency, months ahead of the official 2027 campaign season.
Governor James Aggrey Bob Orengo, whose development record has become the new benchmark in county politics, appears to be the silent force driving the scramble. His groundbreaking of yet another multi-million flagship hospital project yesterday in Ukwala has reportedly sent unrest among opponents. According to insiders, Orengo’s “illustrious record” has left the opposition “confounded and fearful,” forcing them into a premature political onslaught.
Eng. Nicholas Odero Gumbo Wajonya at Mwer Comprehensive School in West Alego Ward of Alego-Usonga Constituency on Friday 29 August, 2025
While Orengo was in Ugenya turning soil for the hospital complex, his rivals stormed Alego-Usonga in a bid to outshine him on the ground. Former Rarieda MP Eng. Nicholas Gumbo, a two-time Siaya gubernatorial contender, was in Mwer distributing sports gear to youths—an unmistakable signal that he is courting the constituency’s vibrant youthful voter bloc. Observers said Gumbo’s gesture was “a subtle but powerful political statement” that positioned him as a man alive to youth concerns.
On the same day, Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi teamed up with Alego-Usonga MP Samuel Atandi to commission a series of rural electrification projects across the constituency. They were joined by Ugenya MP David Ochieng, Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo, and Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda in what looked like a carefully choreographed show of political muscle.
“Today has been a remarkable day as we launched and commissioned electricity projects across Alego-Usonga,” Atandi told cheering villagers, praising KPLC and REREC for rolling out connections to Uwaasi and Ulupi (Usonga Ward), Agwe (West Alego), Usenge (North Alego), and Uloma Kodero (South East).
The leaders insisted the new connections would not only light up homes, schools, and trading centers but also “transform lives, create opportunities, boost economic activities, and secure a brighter future.”
But beneath the glow of the new electric bulbs lies a fierce contest for visibility. Political analysts note that Alego-Usonga is emerging as the ultimate battleground for Siaya’s 2027 politics. “Orengo has raised the bar so high that anyone eyeing the governor’s seat must first prove their mettle here,” one analyst observed.
It is not lost to observers that this Constituency is home to Dr. William Oduol Denge the disenfranchised Siaya Deputy Governor and therefore a fertile breeding ground for anti-Orengo sentiments.
For Gumbo, the sports gear giveaway was more than charity—it was a tactical move to reclaim lost ground after two failed gubernatorial bids. For Wandayi, whose national stature has grown after his elevation to the cabinet, the electrification blitz underscored his dual identity as a technocrat and a grassroots mobilizer. And for Atandi, the projects reinforced his turf dominance while aligning him with Wandayi after being dropped by Orengo.
As the development race heats up, voters in Alego-Usonga are basking in the sudden surge of attention. But the undertone is unmistakable: the battle for Siaya 2027 has already begun, and the constituency is at the heart of it.
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