Siaya County Assembly speaker George Okode has said he has yet to receive a resignation letter from Governor James Orengo, after a fake letter made rounds on the internet.

Speaking to the press on Monday, August 4, 2025, Okode said the fake letter was part of a wider scheme by detractors of the governor to discredit his administration.

“I have not received the alleged letter, and therefore it does not exist on record and in law. The information I have is that James Orengo is still the substantive governor of Siaya County, and is performing his duties as prescribed in law,” Okode said.

Performing duties

While condemning the information as fake, Okode revealed that Orengo has not been in the office and that he would soon resume his duties at the helm of the county.

“The governor is functioning, addressing, and directing his cabinet as per the mandate he got from the people, statutes, and the constitution of Kenya,” Okode said.

“I want to take this opportunity to condemn in the strongest terms possible such allegations because they are nothing but fake. Some busybodies are out to discredit the government of Governor Orengo.”

Sustained campaign

He revealed that the campaigns have been done in the past, and that no law is contravened when a governor is not physically present in an office to perform duties.

“They started by saying the governor has been poisoned; when that didn’t bear any fruit, they started writing petitions, which are not based on any law. There is no law that indicates that when a governor is not physically in office, then he has contravened any provisions of the law,” Okode narrated.

“Now they are saying that the governor has resigned, and as a matter of fact, he has not resigned. “

He urged the public to shun the fake news, calling for calm among the people of Siaya.

“I want to urge the public to ignore such falsehood, and wait for the governor, who shall be reporting to office in due course, and to continue performing his duties,” Okode urged.