- Orengo urges ODM to stay firm on its ideals
- He says ODM must not get too comfortable in government deals
- Calls on the party to start planning for 2027 presidential race
- Backs Raila’s hint on fielding a candidate
- Criticizes government for targeting Butere Girls
- CS supports Raila’s decision to work with government
Siaya Governor James Orengo has told the ODM party to stick to its core values even as it works within the current political arrangement.
Speaking in Siaya on Friday, April 11, Orengo said the party shouldn’t get too comfortable with its current position and should always aim higher.
ODM Must Not Settle for the Status Quo
The governor emphasized that ODM needs to be bold and ambitious, especially with the 2027 elections ahead.
“We must always challenge the status quo. If we want to move forward, we can’t just be content with where we are,” Orengo said.
He backed Raila Odinga’s recent hint that ODM will have a presidential candidate to face President Ruto in 2027.
Continues to Question Government Moves
Orengo is among the few senior ODM figures still voicing criticism against the government, even after the UDA-ODM working deal.
Earlier this week, he called out the state for interfering with Butere Girls High School’s performance of Echoes of War.
“US Supreme Court: ‘Neither students nor teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.’ Hongera Butere Girls High School,” Orengo posted.
CS Stands by Raila’s Government Move
During the same event, CS Davis Chirchir defended the party’s move to work with the Kenya Kwanza government.
He said Raila Odinga has always made the right calls, and that joining government was a decision made in good faith.
“Those mentored by Raila never go wrong. We trust his judgment, and we believe in stabilizing the country and economy,” the CS said.
