Bondo Residents Demand Apology or Resignation from Governor Orengo Over Raila-Ruto Remarks
Tensions flared in Bondo, Siaya County, on Saturday as angry residents poured into the streets demanding an apology from Siaya Governor James Orengo over what they termed as repeated attacks on the budding political alliance between ODM leader Raila Odinga and President William Ruto.
The protest, which brought business in the lakeside town to a halt, saw hundreds of demonstrators wielding placards and twigs, calling on Governor Orengo to retract his recent public criticisms or step down.
Governor Orengo, a long-time ally of Odinga, has come under fire from residents and party loyalists for openly questioning the working relationship between the two national leaders. Protesters accused Orengo of undermining the unity and strategic direction of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), particularly as the party charts a new political course.
“We, as the people of Bondo, have decided that we will not accept the position taken by James Orengo,” a protester said. “He did the same during the burial of Fidel Odinga in 2015, and now he wants to repeat it. We won’t allow it.”
Demonstrators urged the ODM leadership to take disciplinary action against the governor, alleging that he was undermining party cohesion and hindering development in the region. Many expressed disappointment over Orengo’s performance in office, claiming that his confrontational politics had brought little tangible progress to Siaya.
Orengo’s controversial remarks last week, delivered in front of both Raila and Ruto, called on Kenyans to challenge their leaders and resist becoming passive supporters. “I cannot be a praise-singer,” he said. “We fought for a democratic constitution where people should speak freely. This country will go to the dogs again if the kind of language we hear continues.”
He further emphasized that development in Siaya should be viewed as a right, not a political favour. “If anything is brought to Siaya County, it will be as a matter of right, not as a favour,” Orengo insisted. “There is a need to battle for your rights, and you will still have a better country.”
His remarks have sparked sharp criticism from within the ODM ranks. Alego Usonga MP and Budget Committee Chair Samuel Atandi accused the governor of deliberately opposing the party’s direction and using his role to avoid accountability. “Orengo has always thrived in the opposition; he uses it to evade responsibility,” said Atandi.
As the political storm brews in Raila’s backyard, all eyes are now on the ODM party’s next move, with residents vowing not to relent until Governor Orengo issues an apology—or resigns.
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Bondo Residents Demand Apology or Resignation from Governor Orengo Over Raila-Ruto Remarks