Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has vowed to mobilise Siaya residents to ensure that the county gets the right leadership during the next General Elections.
According to Wandayi, he is ready to play his part as a key stakeholder in the county to ensure that Siaya does not get it wrong again in terms of leadership.
Addressing the media at his Sijimbo village home in Ugunja sub-county after meeting members of the Siaya county assembly, led by speaker George Okode, Wandayi, who appeared to criticise Governor James Orengo, said he will no longer take a back seat on Siaya County politics.
Governor Orengo, a strong opponent of the broad-based government, is one of the leading lights in the ODM Linda wananchi faction and was recently faulted by the assembly for alleged disparaging remarks against Party Leader Glady Wanga.
“I will personally not allow myself to be a party to a situation where we make another mistake in this county” he said, adding, “the position of the county governor is a very important one in the development of a county and for that reason, as a people gathered here today and many others who are not here, we have resolved that we shall not make a mistake.”
Wandayi said that the meeting with the County Assembly members was the beginning of a journey to steer Siaya to the next level.
He said the county will move forward in unison regardless of one or two fellows who have decided to go against the broad-based government.
“If we elected you and you have chosen to depart from us, we cannot force you to come back,” he said, adding that the leadership of Siaya county have resolved to walk together in steering the county as members of the Orange Democratic Movement who belong to the broad-based government.
Addressing the occasion, Siaya count assembly speaker, George Okode who led the contingent of MCAs, said the assembly was fully in support of broad-based government.
“We strongly support the ongoing negotiations between ODM and UDA being spearheaded by Dr Oburu Oginga and president William Ruto,” he said.
Okode, who hailed the local residents for giving recent calls for demonstrations a wide berth, called on them to maintain peace and give dialogue a chance.
By Philip Onyango
