A scandal over alleged irregular employment in Siaya County has taken a dramatic twist after Governor James Orengo declared that anyone who secured a county job through bribery was a criminal, and therefore could not claim protection under public service law.
In a strongly worded statement dated 18th September 2025, the Governor confirmed receipt of a petition filed by several individuals claiming to have been unfairly dismissed from the Department of Health. The same petition, he noted, had also been tabled before the County Assembly of Siaya.
While insisting he would not preempt the investigations, Orengo urged the County Assembly and Kenya’s criminal justice system to carry out thorough probes, even suggesting lifestyle audits for individuals of interest. “Those found responsible and liable must be punished for this callous and criminal enterprise,” the Governor said, describing the unfolding saga as a “scam that must be exposed for what it is.”
At the heart of his statement, however, was a hard-hitting position: employment into public service cannot be bought. The Governor stressed that the law is explicit—jobs must be advertised, applications made, and interviews conducted before any qualified person can be lawfully appointed.
He warned that if any of the petitioners obtained their appointments through fraudulent means, including bribery, their claims of wrongful dismissal were null and void from the onset. “The case is made worse when there are whispers that there was fraudulent activity… it is alleged there were exchanges of money which would completely taint and render any alleged appointment null and void,” Orengo noted.
This line of argument amounts to a direct challenge to the narrative advanced by the dismissed workers, many of whom have portrayed themselves as victims. Instead, Orengo’s statement suggests that if they parted with money to secure employment, they too were perpetrators of crime, not just casualties of a rigged system.
Legal experts interviewed by SIAYA TODAY echoed the Governor’s stance, pointing out that under Kenya’s Penal Code and Anti-Corruption laws, both the giver and the taker of a bribe are culpable. “Once you pay to get a job, you are part of the corruption chain—you cannot later claim that the appointment gave you rights. It was null from day one,” said one Nairobi-based constitutional lawyer.
The Governor further indicated that the County Government would fully comply with any recommendations from the Assembly or other state organs, including enforcement of administrative action. He nonetheless urged the Assembly to hasten its proceedings, citing public outrage. “We urge the Assembly to conclude this matter in a fortnight rather than a month,” he remarked.
The scandal has sparked anger among Siaya residents, many of whom accuse shadowy cartels of preying on unemployed youths desperate for work. Behind the scenes, insiders say the fraudulent recruitment ring could extend deep into the bureaucracy, with forged appointment letters and inflated payroll numbers already under audit.
Orengo’s statement, however, marks a turning point in how such cases may be handled: instead of victims versus perpetrators, the Governor’s framing paints a picture of collusion, where those who paid bribes cannot wash their hands clean.
For now, all eyes are on the County Assembly and investigative agencies to determine who among the petitioners were genuinely duped and who willingly participated in what the Governor bluntly termed a “criminal enterprise.”
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