A single tweet by Alego-Usonga MP Samuel Atandi has ripped open what many now see as a simmering power struggle in Siaya County, laying bare deep political fault lines beneath the region’s outward calm.
When Atandi urged Siaya Members of County Assembly (MCAs) to “smell the coffee,” he did not mention anyone by name. But the timing — coming hot on the heels of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Executive Committee’s dramatic move to remove Edwin Sifuna as Secretary-General — sent political shockwaves. Within hours, the cryptic message was widely interpreted as a thinly veiled call to impeach Siaya Governor James Aggrey Bob Orengo.
The backlash on X (formerly Twitter) was swift and brutal.
Atandi was branded everything from “betrayer” to “political ingrate,” with critics reminding him of his long association with Orengo, a veteran figure who has shaped Nyanza’s political trajectory for decades. Many accused the MP of joining a growing camp of regional heavyweights quietly pushing for Orengo’s ouster — a camp that, until now, had operated beneath the surface.
For months, Siaya politics appeared stable. Governor Orengo maintained a firm grip on county leadership, while ODM’s national realignments played out largely in Nairobi. But insiders say the calm has been deceptive.
Atandi’s tweet has exposed what observers describe as a widening rift among Siaya’s political elite — a contest over influence, succession, and alignment ahead of the 2027 elections. The phrase “smell the coffee,” critics argue, was less a casual remark and more a signal to MCAs that the political tide may be shifting.
Analysts note that Atandi, who chairs the powerful Budget and Appropriations Committee in the National Assembly, has increasingly positioned himself within broader national conversations — including those around the “broad-based” governance approach. Orengo, on the other hand, has projected a more defiant, autonomy-leaning posture within ODM circles.
The explosive online reaction underscores how deeply personal and factional the struggle has become. Supporters of Orengo view any impeachment talk as sacrilegious, framing it as an assault on a liberation-era stalwart. Meanwhile, critics whisper that a new generation of leaders is impatient for change.
Whether Atandi intended to light the match or merely comment on unfolding party dynamics, the effect has been unmistakable: Siaya’s power wars are no longer hidden.
One tweet has revealed the truth — beneath the veneer of calm, the battle for Siaya’s political soul is very much alive.
