Wandayi-Orengo rift exposes tensions within ODM

Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and Siaya Governor James Orengo.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has launched a scathing attack on Siaya Governor James Orengo, accusing him of presiding over deteriorating service delivery at the county level.

Speaking during his visit to Sigomere in Ugunja, where he condoled with a family that lost nine members in a tragic house fire, Wandayi decried the state of healthcare in Siaya, lamenting the absence of essential medical supplies in facilities such as Simenya, Sigomere, and Ambira hospitals.

"The situation in Siaya is not only embarrassing but shameful. How can hospitals across the county have no drugs?" Wandayi posed.

The Cabinet Secretary further accused Governor Orengo of neglecting Community Health Volunteers (CHVs), whom he claimed have not been paid, and of failing to hire Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers.

Wandayi highlighted a Sh1.2 billion water project funded by the national government to serve Ugunja, criticizing the county administration for not finalizing the last-mile connectivity to ensure residents benefit fully.

"The Governor should be concentrating on completing such projects rather than engaging in political grandstanding," he said, adding that it is not within a Governor's mandate to oversight the national government.

"Oversight of the national government is the work of Parliament and, to some extent, the Senate," he stated.

Senator Oburu Oginga, who accompanied Wandayi, echoed the sentiments, expressing frustration over the county's crumbling healthcare infrastructure.

He recounted a recent visit to Bondo Sub-County Hospital with the Russian Ambassador, where he found the same X-ray machine he donated 15 years ago still in use.

"Our women are dying because they cannot access emergency services locally. You were elected to serve. If you perform well, we'll praise you. If not, we will speak out," Oburu said.

During a recent burial ceremony (Raila Odinga's bodyguard) attended by President William Ruto, Governor Orengo defended his leadership, insisting that Siaya residents must stand up for their rights.

He reiterated that development is a constitutional right, not a favor, and vowed not to be a "praise singer" for the government.

Despite their differences, Orengo used the occasion to request an audience with the President on behalf of the Siaya County Government, expressing interest in discussing development matters with the national leadership.

Orengo has been a strong critic of President Ruto, expressing his open defiance of the ODM's newfound relationship with the ruling UDA Party.