Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has told President William Ruto that it is the Siaya Deputy Governor, William Oduor, who is running the county in what he termed as the absence of his boss, James Orengo.

While speaking during a church service at ACK Bondo on Sunday, March 8, 2026, where the county governor was a no-show to welcome the president, Wandayi, who in recent times has been critical of the governor, spelling doom for his re-election, stated that the governor has failed to deliver on his duties and has been absent, forcing his deputy to step in and fill the void.

“The deputy governor has taken charge of this county [Siaya] in the absence of the governor, and we are moving forward as a people,” Opiyo Wandayi stated.

This comes at a time when James Orengo has strongly disagreed with the party in its recent activities, including entering into a coalition agreement with President William Ruto as part of their preparations for 2027.

Decampaigning Orengo

This has made leaders aligned with Oburu Odinga attack and campaign against him. During the last Linda Ground forum that was held in Siaya town, Opiyo Wandayi led anti-incumbency “wantam” chants against the outspoken governor, who has now chosen to align himself with Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi movement.

Opiyo Wandayi also stated that he does not know who the next Siaya governor will be, but he is sure it will not be Orengo.

His finance counterpart, John Mbadi, followed suit. He accused Orengo of being absent and abdicating his gubernatorial duties, focusing on national politics at the expense of his core functions in the county.

Gumbo’s endorsement

Also during the same Linda Ground function, the recently suspended Kenya Sugar Board chair Nicholas Gumbo, who was his runner-up in the 2022 Siaya gubernatorial bid, was welcomed back to the party by Oburu Odinga, signalling that he was being endorsed to punish Orengo over his opposition to the party and Oburu.

“There is one person from Siaya who has been out of our party for a while, though he was a founder member. He is called Nicholas Gumbo, and I want to welcome him to the party,” Oburu stated.