Friday, May 12, 2023 –Siaya County government leadership is facing headwinds eight months after taking office.
Confirmed reports from the county now claims that a petition has since been filed against Siaya Governor James Orengo for allegedly sidelining his deputy, Mr. William Oduol.
A trio of Peter Agoro, Erick Onyango and Elizabeth Akinyi, claim that the deputy governor has since been denied the basic needs to live with dignity; this being a deliberate effort by his boss to force him out of office against what the law stipulates.
On that note, they are asking the court to compel Orengo’s leadership to not only reinstate all privileges and responsibilities of the DG, but also to enable the deputy governor to serve the people of Siaya as was his initial plan.
Additionally, the complainants are asking the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission EACC to commence investigations against Governor Orengo and officers serving under him so as to institute both criminal and civil proceedings against the county boss.
In many instances, Orengo has deliberately been frustrating his deputy Oduol to make him look like an official who can’t deliver his manadte to the people.
“Without lawful reason or authority Mr Orengo has deliberately continued to not only frustrate Oduol on service delivery activities, but he is also been withholding benefits and allowances payable in his position as the Deputy Governor and consequently affect the output of the officer,” the petition reads.
The case was filed at the High Court in Nairobi but Justice Hedwig Ong’udi has transferred the case back to Siaya where the hearing and determination will be fully executed.
About a month ago, DG Oduol accused Mr. Orengo of presiding over run-way corruption where colossal sums of money had reportedly been withdrawn by people close to the county boss. And efforts to question this put him at crossroads with Orengo and his cronies.
