Oburu sues Orengo over construction of mitumba market

A mitumba trader at a Nyeri market on 26 August, 2023. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

The feud between Siaya Governor James Orengo and Senator Oburu Oginga has taken a fresh twist after Oburu moved to court to stop attempts by Orengo's regime to construct a market for second-hand cloth traders in Bondo.

Second-hand clothes traders in Bondo town will have to wait longer for the market following a lawsuit by Oburu and Dickson Oruko seeking to block the construction of the market.

The duo, through their lawyer, Sylvia Nyambeki, successfully obtained an injunction from the Siaya High Court, preventing the Siaya County Government from proceeding with the development of the proposed Mitumba market.

The case was filed under a certificate of urgency before the Siaya Environment and Lands Court and granted by the presiding judge, Justice Edda Dena.

This legal action comes just weeks after Siaya Governor James Orengo launched the construction of the facility with an aim to provide a more conducive environment for traders selling second-hand clothes, popularly known as Mitumba.

Lady Justice Edda Dena ruled on May 27, 2025, that, given the urgency of the matter, the current status of parcels Bondo Township/58 and Bondo Township/59 as of 26th May 2025 must be maintained.

She further directed that no further construction or development should take place on the said parcels until the court provides further directions.

In their affidavits, Oburu and Oruko, who are listed as the first and second plaintiffs, respectively, stated that they legally obtained a 99-year lease for the parcels, effective from July 1, 2024.

Siaya County Government is named as the respondent in the suit, while the National Lands Commission is listed as an interested party.

In their claim, the plaintiffs accused the county government of trespassing on their legally acquired land without following proper procedures.

They further assert that traders have been informally using the parcels for business operations.

The Environment and Lands Court is scheduled to issue further directions on the case today, May 30, 2025.