Siaya Governor James Orengo appears to be quietly recalibrating his place in the opposition after a revealing weekend in which he kept his distance from two political events central to his recent ambitions.
On Sunday, Orengo snubbed Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka when the former Vice President toured Siaya to popularise the Ukombozi Alliance, the coalition in which Orengo was only recently appointed chairman. The absence was conspicuous because Kalonzo was in Orengo’s political backyard, but the Siaya governor was nowhere to be seen.
On Saturday, Orengo also skipped a Linda Mwananchi meeting in Nairobi where Senator Edwin Sifuna was endorsed as the movement’s presidential candidate.
Orengo had publicly expressed interest in the same ticket and had been part of the political conversations around finding a single presidential candidate for Linda Mwananchi.
Sifuna’s endorsement therefore changed the equation. The two developments, coming within 24 hours, have raised questions about where Orengo now sees his political home as the opposition heads towards 2027.
His Ukombozi appointment places him at the heart of Kalonzo’s opposition project. But his absence during Kalonzo’s Siaya tour suggests that the title may not tell the whole story.
Likewise, Linda Mwananchi has now moved decisively towards Sifuna, leaving Orengo outside a presidential project in which he had sought a place.
