By The Weekly Vision Team
Political players in Siaya County who are against the leadership style of Governor James Orengo are currently devising a strategy to remove him from office in the next general elections. The political landscape in Siaya County is expected to undergo a significant shift if ODM party leader Raila Odinga manages to secure the chairmanship of the African Union Commission.
Governor James Orengo will become the main casualty if, as expected, Raila Odinga manages to secure a job at the African Union Commission since he will be expected to step down from his role as the leader of ODM and will not be actively involved in regional politics. Be that as it may, the bottom line is that the majority of elected politicians in Luo Nyanza have found themselves between a hard place and a rock, as their re-election is no longer guaranteed.
The potential absence of Mr Odinga from the local political scene may see several elected leaders losing their positions and potentially ending their political careers. This concern arises from the fact that many of them secured their seats through either direct nomination or with the support and blessings of Raila Odinga, much to the chagrin of many who believed they were not the best.
During the last gubernatorial elections, Mr Orengo’s win was not attributed to his ‘popularity’ but rather to the backing of Odinga, despite the overwhelming influence the ODM party enjoys in Luo Nyanza, Mr Orengo’s main rival, Nicholas Gumbo was only defeated by the narrowest of margins.
Mr Gumbo is currently working closely with President William Ruto, which has improved his popularity on the ground. This is happening amid the ongoing feud between Mr Orengo and his inner circle, which includes his deputy, William Oduol, and several MCAs who had previously endorsed his 2022 campaign.
According to analysts, Mr Gumbo could present a formidable threat to Orengo in their second encounter in 2027. It is believed that Gumbo’s chances of securing victory over Orengo are greater without the backing of the ODM wave and the unwavering support Mr Raila Odinga brings to the table.
Politics pundits now opine that Orengo must pick a running mate from the Alego Usonga constituency, where Oduol hails from, to increase his chances of re-election. This is because Oduol could potentially compete against him in the 2027 election, losing the support of Alego Usonga voters would be a major disadvantage.
The one-million-dollar question that everyone is asking is: who will be chosen as Orengo’s running mate in 2027? One of the prominent names is that of Samuel Atandi, the MP for Alego Usonga. As a dedicated member of ODM and a fierce political fighter, Atandi has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the position of running mate due to his two successful terms as an MP. This makes him a strong contender. Yet, beyond Alego-Usonga, Otiende Amolo, the Rarieda MP and a trusted confidant of Mr Orengo, is also being considered as a possible running mate in 2027. Speculations are rife that he may be positioning himself to take over from Orengo in 2032 after his second and final term in office.
