Orengo speaks language of integrity in a betrayed nation

James Orengo addressing a rally in Kibra-Nairobi on November 16, 2017. [Willis Awandu, Standard]

Watching TV the other day, I saw a group of hired youth staging a demonstration against Siaya Governor James Orengo. I have not spoken to Mr Orengo in a long while, but I felt compelled to speak out in his defence.

In a season where silence has become the preferred language of cowardice and betrayal, Orengo has once again proven why history remembers him as a principled warrior of Kenya's Second Liberation. His recent statement wasn't just a political outburst-it was a moment of moral reckoning for the nation, and especially for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which once claimed to be the conscience of the people.

Orengo's words cut through the pretence and posturing of politics. "My party, the ODM, decided to dance on the graves of the Gen Zs and enjoy the spoils of war while more youth were being abducted, tortured, and killed."

That statement was more than an indictment. It was a raw, honest reflection of what many Kenyans-especially the youth-have been feeling for months: That the Opposition has abandoned them in their greatest hour of need.

The same party that once marched in the streets against dictatorship and electoral fraud is now comfortably feasting with the very regime it once called the enemy. The betrayal is stunning. But Orengo is not hiding behind party loyalty or elite consensus. He is standing on the truth, even if it isolates him. And that, in these times, is revolutionary.

The Gen Z-led protests of June 2024 were not just about the high cost of living. They were a cry for dignity, accountability, and good governance. They were a demand for an end to corruption, police brutality, and impunity.

The youth who led these protests-some of whom paid the ultimate price-did not risk their lives for ODM leaders to strike power-sharing deals with the very forces that were responsible for their suffering.

Orengo has drawn a clear moral line. His voice rings out in a political landscape riddled with compromise. He reminds us that leadership is not just about winning elections or securing positions-it's about standing with the people, even when it is unpopular to do so.

His truth is a warning. We must not normalise betrayal. The Opposition's embrace of President William Ruto under the guise of "bipartisanship" or "national dialogue" is not reconciliation-it is opportunism dressed in patriotic rhetoric. As Orengo rightly observed, "A bread-sharing deal doesn't automatically change everything." Especially not when that bread is soaked in the blood of the innocent.

Orengo's stand is about returning to the ideals that animated our democratic struggles. It is about rekindling a politics rooted in principle, not privilege. He is challenging the current leadership to step aside and make room for a new generation. A generation unburdened by dynastic arrangements, backroom deals, and stale loyalties. A generation that listens, fights, and bleeds with the people.

And yet, there's a beautiful irony to this moment. Orengo is not a newcomer. He is a veteran of the struggle. A seasoned constitutional lawyer, a former detainee, and a key figure in the fight for Kenya's democratic transformation. Yet here he is, more in tune with the people's pain than many younger politicians. He proves that integrity is not a function of age-it is a matter of conscience.

Kenya is on the cusp of political realignment. The old orders are collapsing under the weight of their contradictions. Orengo has struck the match-and the fire he has ignited may well sweep through the Opposition, forcing the rebirth it desperately needs.

We must resist attempts to ridicule or isolate those who dare to speak the truth. The country deserves leaders who do not negotiate away pain, who do not forget the dead, and who do not capitulate in darkness after promising to walk in the light.

The youth who died in the June protests did so believing a better Kenya was possible. If their sacrifice is to mean anything, then Orengo's voice-and those like his-must be heard and multiplied.

This is no longer just about ODM. It is about the soul of a nation. It is about who we are and what we are willing to accept. Kenya is at a crossroads. We must now choose: betray the dream or restore the cause.

Orengo has chosen. And in doing so, he reminds us that the language of integrity still matters-even in a betrayed nation.