In the rough-and-tumble world of Siaya County politics, perception often matters as much as power. That is why the sustained online attacks by bloggers linked to Energy Cabinet Secretary James Opiyo Wandayi against Siaya Governor James Aggrey Bob Orengo are not just puzzling—they are strategically reckless.
What these attacks conveniently ignore is the deep political history between the two men. Orengo is not merely another political actor in Wandayi’s orbit; he is the man who opened the door for Wandayi’s entry into competitive politics in Ugunja Constituency in 2013. That support came at significant personal and political cost, most notably at the expense of Hon. Otieno Alur. Beyond endorsement, Orengo is widely understood to have offered critical financial and logistical backing that secured Wandayi’s maiden parliamentary victory.
The pattern repeated itself in 2017. When Wandayi defied party positions in Parliament and paid the price through suspension, it was Orengo—again sacrificing political capital—that helped steady his career and shield him from long-term damage. These are not small favours in Siaya’s unforgiving political terrain.
Ironically, in the run-up to the 2022 elections, Wandayi briefly flirted with the idea of challenging Orengo for the gubernatorial seat, reportedly encouraged by Dr. Oburu Odinga. That ambition was decisively halted by Raila Odinga, who advised Wandayi to avoid any confrontation with Orengo. That intervention alone revealed the true power structure within ODM and Siaya County politics.
The uncomfortable truth is that Wandayi has benefited immensely from Orengo’s patience and goodwill, even though the two have never been close allies. Their relationship has always been cautious, not cordial. That reality makes the current hostility even more ill-advised.
Politically, Wandayi’s camp must confront a basic fact: Orengo, Dr. Oburu Odinga, and the Odinga family form an inseparable axis built on decades of shared struggle and trust. There is no scenario in which Orengo is isolated from that establishment.
As Kenya edges toward 2027, the balance of power in Siaya is already visible. Choosing confrontation over caution risks placing Wandayi on the wrong side of history. In Siaya politics, some alliances are permanent—and ignoring that truth has undone many ambitious careers before.
By Alphonso Bernard Otieno