Orengo, Raila Throw Alego-Usonga MP Samuel Atandi Under the Bus in New Siaya Power Realignment

While officiating over the launch of a countrywide membership recruitment drive for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party on Saturday opposition leader Raila Amollo Odinga made scathing remarks against youthful Alego-Usonga MP Samuel Onunga Atandi.

Alego-Usonga MP Samuel Onunga Atandi (right) receives ODM Party leader Raila Amollo Odinga at Awelo Market on Saturday, November 11, 2023. Photo: Twitter

In April as he presided over the disbursement of NG-CDF bursaries at Sidok Primary School in West Alego, Mr. Atandi broadly announced his intention to contest the governorship. The ambitious two-term MP who was at the time very close to Governor James Orengo sold a false notion that he was being groomed by the party to take over from Orengo.

Atandi opened a warfront with the shrewd and calculative Siaya Deputy Governor Dr William Oduol Denge. In late May while addressing mourners outside the venue where the late Siaya Public Service Board Chairman Dr. Elijah Achoch was buried Dr Oduol told Atandi who had organised goons from Migori to heckle him to be cautious.

Referring to the MP Dr Oduol said then: “Atandi does not know that he is running with the foxes, they’ll throw him under the bus at the first available opportunity”.

And sure enough, that’s what happened on Saturday. While addressing the huge crowd, mostly of residents of Alego-Usonga Constituency, Raila said in the vernacular: “In bende noyieri kaka mjumbe, to pok ibulo kata ng’or to isewuok idwa bedo Gavana; Gavana mar [sic]!”. [You were appointed an MP just the other day and you have not yet even gathered moss in the office and you are now dreaming of becoming Governor; You [sic] Governor!]”. Raila uttered an unprintable expletive at the end of the sentence.

Those who had doubts that he could be addressing himself to Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo Akuba (who was not in attendance) were informed by the use of the first person noun (denoting presence).

CPA Dr. William Oduol Denge, Siaya Deputy Governor warned Atandi on Saturday, April 25, 2023, that he was swimming with sharks but the youthful legislator was too boisterous to listen. Photo: LinkedIn

Sources close to Governor Orengo attribute the fallout to a “tender grabbing spree” sanctioned by the Governor’s cronies without his knowledge and later being blamed on the Governor. A bloated wage bill has also put Orengo on the spot for overemployment of county staff most of them without requisite academic qualifications. According to documents leaked to dalanews.co.ke the Alego-Usonga MP demanded a quota in the job slots during the recruitment by the Siaya County Public Service Board.

The straw that broke the camel’s back came when Orengo realized that the mischievous youthful MP was plotting his downfall by unnecessarily aggravating the tensions between the Governor and his Deputy, Dr William Oduol Denge.

Being a seasoned lawyer and an astute chess player, Governor Orengo has replaced the vaulted position that the Alego-Usonga MP occupied with Mijesh and Township Ward MCA James Obiero Otare.

Confidential information indicates that as of last week, the Governor was not picking up Atandi’s calls. Then out of the blue comes the former Premier who shoots straight for some sanctified section of the MP mother’s anatomy.

Alego-Usonga MP Samuel Atandi speaks at Awelo Market on Saturday, November 11, 2023. Photo: Twitter

Things are not auguring well for the youthful legislator, and yet DG William Oduol (whom reliable sources say is a relative of his) warned him in advance. The people he thought were friends do not hold felicity to any standards, whatsoever, and there’s already talk in the grapevine that someone is being groomed by the party to take his place.

 

ADVERTISEMENT dalanews.co.ke https://g.page/r/CerTmAWCtzj4EBM/review ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬ÿÛ C