Orengo Addresses Claims of Having Beef With Oburu Oginga

Siaya Governor James Orengo has dismissed claims of having a rift with ODM Party leader Oburu Oginga.

Speaking during an interview on Wednesday, May 6, Orengo said his differences with Oburu are based on party principles and not personal issues.

“I don’t have beef with Oburu Oginga; it is not a personal thing,” said Orengo.

The Siaya Governor argued that his concern is with how the ODM party leader's position was handled following the demise of the late Raila Odinga.

“What we are saying is that ODM must live true to its founding principles, and it also must live by the Constitution that says when a death occurs of a party leader, one of the three deputy party leaders would become the interim party leader until the elections are held. That did not happen. That original sin cannot be cured in any form or shape other than the delegates coming together and electing a new party leader,” he stated.

Governor Orengo said he is the de facto party leader of ODM since the delegates have not yet elected a new leader.

“But because we cannot have a vacuum, I am the de facto party leader of ODM, and we have a movement within ODM called Linda Mwananchi,” Orengo stated.

At the same time, Orengo accused Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Kisii Governor Simba Arati, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed of trying to sell the party.

“I can predict that they could not be sitting with a stranger, and President Ruto is a stranger in the affairs of ODM, making a decision about who leads the party. He can only do that because he has bought into the party,” Orengo alleged.

His remarks come a day after the ODM party sensationally claimed that he duped the party of Ksh40 million by charging them legal fees for what was initially meant to be a pro-bono service.

In a statement issued to the press, ODM blasted Orengo for taking credit for the party's Ksh12 billion claim from the Political Parties Fund, after leading the litigation process.

The party claimed that its National Executive Committee initiated the process of making the claim and that the Governor was only contacted for the litigation.

Orengo is accused of contracting another legal firm, then charging the party for legal services offered.

"Instead of instituting the proceedings through his own law firm, he conveniently introduced the firm of Ms Julie Soweto, which ultimately filed the petition.

"Following the Party's success in the High Court in 2016 and subsequently in the Court of Appeal in 2018, demands for legal fees began to be made. Ms Soweto's Law firm was paid Ksh 40 million by the party," the statement read in part.

ODM disclosed that the hefty legal fees came as a shock to the departed party leader, the late Raila Odinga, who allegedly questioned Orengo's character.

It further alleged that following the confusion, it was embroiled in a civil case at the High Court with the firm over legal fees worth hundreds of millions.