By Lameck Baraza
Siaya deputy governor William Oduol has officially declared his interest in the Siaya County governorship, setting the stage for a political showdown with his boss, governor James Orengo ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Oduol made the announcement at his Kadengo home in Siaya, where he was endorsed by clergy drawn from Alego Usonga constituency.
The deputy governor expressed confidence that he will clinch victory in 2027, pledging to advance his manifesto and elevate Siaya to greater heights.
“I am the one who drafted the current manifesto that enabled Orengo to win the 2022 governorship. Since they have failed to implement it, I have offered myself to ensure my manifesto currently gathering dust in county offices is realised,” Oduol stated.
He further revealed plans to traverse the entire county in search of votes within the ODM party, daring Orengo to face him at the nomination stage, where he vowed to defeat him decisively.
Relations between Orengo and Oduol soured barely two years into office after Oduol accused the governor of engaging in corrupt dealings. This led to Orengo “orchestrating” an impeachment motion against his deputy, which was ultimately quashed by the Senate.
Since then, Oduol has refrained from using his official office, citing security concerns.
“My differences with Orengo are not personal but ideological. We began with unity of purpose during the campaigns and in our early months in office. However, along the way, things changed,” Oduol explained.
Members of the clergy drawn from Alego Usonga in Siaya County. Photo/LB
He added that the turning point came in November 2022, when he noticed abnormal withdrawals from Siaya County’s imprest account.
“Given my background in finance, I periodically review county finances. Towards the end of November, I observed huge and irregular withdrawals from the imprest account,” he said.
Perplexed by the activity, Oduol summoned county finance officers to explain the irregularities, but they initially failed to provide satisfactory answers.
The Siaya governorship race has now attracted three contenders: current Ugenya MP David Ochieng, former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo, and Oduol, who all hope to unseat governor Orengo in 2027.