Orange is not split, it’s being sold: Orengo claims Ruto is the secret architect behind ODM moves
By Martin Oduor, May 7, 2026Siaya Governor James Orengo has claimed that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is being systematically “sold” to the state.
Speaking during a candid TV interview on Wednesday night, May 6, 2026, the Senior Counsel dismissed rumours of a split within the party, instead suggesting a far more transactional reality: that the “Orange” is being traded for “a few coins”.
Orengo did not mince words when identifying the man he believes is pulling the strings of the opposition party.
He claimed that President William Ruto has become the primary financier of ODM, exerting influence from the highest offices in the land to his private residences.
“The orange is not split; people are trying to sell the orange for a price, for a few coins, and we are not going to allow that,” Orengo declared.
“President Ruto is the willing buyer; it is not a secret that is how ODM can hold its meetings in State House and President Ruto presides”.
The Siaya governor went even further, claiming that these high-level meetings are not confined to official government buildings.
“Not just in State House, in his private residence in Kilgoris, and he is the one funding the party,” he alleged.
Orengo levelled specific accusations regarding the funding of recent party retreats. He claimed that the logistics for the party’s recent gathering in Mombasa were entirely underwritten by the President.
“He is funding even this meeting they had in Mombasa. The air tickets, the allowances, and the hotels were paid by President Ruto,” Orengo stated.
These claims paint a picture of an opposition party that is becoming increasingly indistinguishable from the government it is meant to check, a development Orengo has vowed to resist.
Orengo also took aim at the logic of those within the party who have joined the “broad-based government” but continue to voice grievances regarding their compensation. He described the situation as a glaring contradiction that undermines the party’s credibility.
“The irony is that people in Linda Ground are saying they are in the broad-based government, and now they are making demands to the government that you must pay us,” Orengo remarked. “How can you demand payment from a government in which you are a participant?”.
The scathing remarks from the 76-year-old veteran suggest a deepening rift between the “Linda Mwananchi” movement which he is part of and the current party top brass in the Linda Ground faction.
As Orengo maintains his status as the “de facto” leader, his claims of a state-funded takeover ensure that the battle for the soul of the Orange party will remain a central fixture of Kenyan politics.