Orengo’s 2027 bid sparks fresh political battle in Nyanza

NAIROBI, Kenya — Siaya Governor James Orengo’s declaration that he will seek the presidency in 2027 has quickly opened a new political fight in Nyanza, with Ugenya MP David Ochieng telling the veteran politician to make way for a younger generation.

Ochieng said Orengo’s long political career should now be used to mentor emerging leaders rather than remain at the centre of national politics.

The remarks came barely days after Orengo declared himself ready to contest the presidency while addressing mourners in Homa Bay.

“I have been hearing Orengo saying that he is the senior-most politician in the country. That is true,” Ochieng said during a fundraiser at St Anne’s Sega Catholic Church in Ugenya.

But Ochieng argued that several politicians from Orengo’s generation had already left active politics, and challenged the Siaya governor to do the same.

He cited former politicians including Mukhisa Kituyi, Gitobu Imanyara, Kiraitu Murungi and Musikari Kombo as examples of leaders who had made room for younger politicians.

A new fight over Nyanza’s political direction

The exchange goes beyond a question of age.

It reflects a growing debate over where Nyanza should position itself ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Ochieng, who leads the Movement for Democracy and Growth, argued that the region should move away from permanent confrontation with the national government and concentrate on securing development opportunities.

“Nyanza can no longer afford to be at war with the government,” he said.

He also accused Orengo of failing to uphold the political freedoms associated with his long career as a champion of multiparty democracy.

Ochieng said supporters of President William Ruto should be free to campaign and organise in Nyanza without intimidation.

The accusations come against a backdrop of heightened political tensions in the region. Earlier this month, police arrested 14 people during the Linda Mwananchi movement’s tour of Homa Bay after reported attempts to disrupt rallies. Police said some suspects were found carrying crude weapons.

Orengo has previously alleged that there were plans to disrupt his political activities and claimed weapons had been distributed ahead of a planned Homa Bay rally. Those allegations were not independently verified at the time.

Orengo enters the 2027 race

Orengo formally stepped up his presidential ambitions on August 28 while speaking in Homa Bay.

He said he was ready to seek the presidency and called for mature and issue-based politics, particularly in Nyanza.

His declaration came after a period of political tension surrounding the Linda Mwananchi movement, whose activities have increasingly placed Orengo alongside younger politicians such as Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

The move puts Orengo, one of Kenya’s longest-serving political figures, firmly back at the centre of the national succession debate.

It also creates an interesting political question for Nyanza: whether voters will continue to rally behind established opposition figures or increasingly favour younger leaders offering a different political relationship with Nairobi.

Mbadi warns against violence

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, who attended the Sega fundraiser as chief guest, also weighed into the debate.

Mbadi warned political leaders against allowing electoral competition to turn Nyanza into a theatre of violence.

He raised concerns about reports of politicians moving with groups of young men carrying crude weapons.

“We are giving a stern warning to leaders who are old enough to appreciate that our people need not be killed and are moving around with boys armed with pangas,” Mbadi said.

The warning comes as political mobilisation gathers pace ahead of 2027.

For Nyanza, the contest may therefore be about more than who eventually gets on the presidential ballot.

It is increasingly becoming a debate over who should lead the region, how that leadership should engage Nairobi and whether the next political chapter belongs to the veterans or a younger generation.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.