Nyatike MP Tom Odege has urged embattled Siaya County Deputy Governor William Oduol to report back to his office and carry out his duties amid speculations on the whereabouts of Governor James Orengo.

Speaking during a vernacular TV show on Thursday, August 7, 2025, Odege said Oduol was validly elected alongside Orengo, and that he cannot continue working from Nairobi when Orengo is away from office.

“I want to tell the Deputy Governor of Siaya to some out and report back to his office to work for the people. If he is denied from performing his duties, everyone will witness it, but he cannot purport to want a truce from Nairobi,” Odege stated.

Valid mandate

“He was validly elected alongside Governor James Orengo. If the County officers bar him from accessing his office, the ODM Party will intervene. The intervention could also come from the Council of Governors, leaders in the national government, or even the council of elders of Siaya,” Odege added.

“Nobody will intervene for you when you are sitting in your house in Nairobi.”

The remarks come amid speculation on the whereabouts of Orengo, with reports indicating that he could be out of the country seeking medical treatment for an undisclosed illness.

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Southwest region chairperson Winnie Mireri, equally, observed that the role of the deputy governor of a county cannot be performed remotely.

Working remotely

“There is no way a deputy governor of a county can perform his duties remotely; it is a great mistake that the deputy governor of Siaya is saying he does not know what to do, given that Governor Orengo is absent from his office,” Mireri noted

“The deputy governor should have been in office, because if anything happens to the governor, he should be taking over for the remainder of his term.”

In an interview on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Oduol wished Orengo a quick recovery, saying he is willing to bury the hatchet in their feud, which has seen him barred from accessing his office since 2023, shortly after being elected.

“If at all, Governor Orengo is ill, it is my prayer that he should recover quickly and come back so that we can work together for the people of Siaya,” Oduol said.