By Fridah Mbuvi, June 29, 2026
Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has intensified the political contest for influence in the Luo Nyanza region after launching a scathing attack on Siaya Governor James Orengo, accusing him of misleading residents and challenging him to openly declare whether he intends to contest the presidency in the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a church fundraiser in Ugunja, Siaya County, Wandayi dismissed Orengo’s continued criticism of President William Ruto’s broad-based government, arguing that the Nyanza region stands to benefit more by working with the national government than remaining in perpetual political opposition.
The Cabinet Secretary rejected claims that leaders who joined President Ruto’s administration had betrayed the region, insisting that cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza government was aimed at accelerating development and ensuring Nyanza secures a fair share of national resources.
According to Wandayi, the region had spent decades advocating for inclusion in the country’s executive leadership, making it contradictory for some leaders to oppose participation in government after that objective had been achieved.
He challenged Governor Orengo to stop criticizing the government’s political direction and instead publicly declare his preferred presidential candidate if he disagrees with the current leadership.
“If you have your candidate, Mr. Governor, come forward and tell us who it is. Or if it is you yourself who wants to run, come forward and say it today, and then we can compete against each other,” Wandayi said.
The Cabinet Secretary went further by declaring that President William Ruto would be the preferred presidential candidate for the Nyanza region in the 2027 elections, pledging to spearhead vigorous campaigns across the region to secure the President’s re-election.
Wandayi maintained that the broad-based government has created an opportunity for Nyanza leaders to influence national decision-making from within government while accelerating the implementation of development projects that had previously stalled.
His remarks reflect an increasingly visible political divide within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), whose leaders have adopted contrasting approaches following the formation of the broad-based government.
One faction, represented by Wandayi and several other ODM leaders serving in President Ruto’s administration, argues that participation in government offers the most effective avenue for delivering development projects, expanding electricity access, improving infrastructure and addressing long-standing economic challenges facing the region.
The opposing camp, led by Governor James Orengo and other leaders aligned with the “Linda Mwananchi” movement, has consistently opposed the cooperation agreement with Kenya Kwanza, arguing that it compromises ODM’s identity as an opposition party and weakens its ability to hold the government accountable.
Orengo has repeatedly maintained that the party should preserve its political independence and continue championing the interests of its supporters outside government, warning that close collaboration with the ruling administration risks eroding the party’s support base.
The latest exchange underscores the growing struggle for political leadership in Luo Nyanza as leaders begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election. While one group is advocating continued cooperation with President Ruto’s administration, another insists that ODM should retain its traditional opposition role and chart an independent political path.
Political analysts believe the debate could significantly shape the region’s voting patterns in the next General Election, with Nyanza expected to remain one of the country’s most influential political battlegrounds as parties and leaders compete for support in the run-up to the 2027 polls.
