Siaya Governor says grassroots support preceded his announcement, disputes Oburu Odinga’s legitimacy
Siaya Governor James Orengo has defended his controversial declaration as the acting leader of ODM, insisting that party members endorsed him before he made the announcement official.
Speaking during an interview with a local media outlet on Monday, May 26, Orengo claimed that ODM was at risk of being “sold to political enemies” and vowed to lead an internal campaign to protect the party’s legacy and influence.
The veteran politician directly challenged the legitimacy of Oburu Odinga’s position as party leader, describing it as “completely unofficial” and lacking proper procedural backing.
“What Oburu did, how he became party leader, is completely unofficial. Governor Wanga had confirmed what I had always said: that when that position was imposed on Oburu, he was not aware. He was just declared by individuals,” Orengo said.
Orengo argued that Oburu’s emergence as party leader did not follow formal or transparent procedures, claiming the move was orchestrated by a select few rather than reflecting the will of the broader party membership.
The Siaya Governor traced his own claim to leadership back to the party’s Linda Mwananchi rallies, where he says grassroots members spontaneously began referring to him as “the party leader.”
“In our Linda Mwananchi rallies, ‘the party leader’ was just coming up as a chorus and so what do I do, I declared,” Orengo explained, suggesting his announcement was a response to popular demand rather than a unilateral power grab.
