Celebrated lawyer James Orengo has regretted why he got involved in a case challenging the election of Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o as Kisumu County governor.
The Siaya senator was Nyong’o’s lead counsel in the case, in which former Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma sought the nullification of Nyong’o’s election.
But High Court Judge David Majanja on January 3 dismissed the case, saying Ranguma did not present enough evidence to warrant annulment of the election.
But even as Nyong’o’s supporters trooped to Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground to celebrate the victory, Orengo shocked them when he said he wasted his precious time on the case.
“I did not know that Ranguma’s case against Nyong’o was child play. I wasted my time on the case,” said Orengo.
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He said he had handled big cases, including the 2017 presidential election petition pitting NASA leader Raila Odiga against the IEBC and that he expected a challenging case from Ranguma.
The former governor was represented by Kisumu-based lawyer Richard Onsongo, while IEBC had Edwin Mukele as the lead counsel.
Onsongo spoke to the press after the judgement was delivered. Asked if they would appeal the ruling, he said he was waiting for instructions from his client on the next move.
“As at now, we will be looking at the judgement and then get further instructions from my client concerning the next move,” said Onsongo.
The judgement sent Nyong’o’s supporters into a frenzy.
Attempts by Kisumu senator Fred Outa to connect Nyong’o, who is out of the country, to his supporters through a phone call during the public address however failed due to poor network.
Outa wanted Nyong’o to address his supporters through the phone from the US where he is said to be on vacation.
