The meeting with President William Ruto was scheduled to take place at State House, Nairobi, on May 14, 2025, and was reportedly aimed at crafting a development agenda for the county.
It has emerged that internal disagreements among Siaya’s political leadership may have played a role in the indefinite postponement.
Reports suggest the last-minute cancellation was triggered by concerns over an alleged plan to exclude Siaya Governor James Orengo from the talks.
Orengo, a vocal critic of the Kenya Kwanza government,
remains a thorn in the flesh of the Kenya Kwanza administration since the political
partnership between Raila Odinga’s ODM party and President Ruto’s
administration.
On Sunday, May 11, 2025, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi convened a preparatory meeting with the majority of Siaya MPs to firm up their agenda ahead of the State House meeting.
Although the leaders had agreed to meet the President on Wednesday, May 14, they were later informed that the meeting had been postponed.
Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda confirmed that they were
notified of the postponement on Tuesday, May 13.
“What we were doing on Sunday was to firm up some of the projects we wanted the national government to prioritise. We wanted to be clear on what to present to the President, but we have just been told it has been postponed,” Ochanda said.
However, the MP denied claims that the Sunday meeting was meant to sideline Orengo, noting that the governor was out of the country at the time.
Governor Orengo has consistently challenged the Kenya Kwanza administration, calling for greater accountability and respect for the rule of law.
There have been reports that his outspoken stance has
led to efforts by some political leaders in the county to sideline him, despite
former Prime Minister Raila Odinga publicly defending him at least twice in
April.
In a move that sheds light on the deepening political rift, Orengo recently wrote to President Ruto requesting a separate meeting.
“The purpose of the meeting is to engage you on key development matters affecting Siaya County and to explore collaborative pathways through which the national government and the county government can work together to accelerate socio-economic growth for our people,” Orengo’s letter reads in part.
“We are confident that this engagement will mark a significant step forward in the spirit of national unity, inclusivity, and service delivery to the citizens of Siaya County and Kenya at large.”
