By P, KNA
A section of Alego – Usonga constituents are accusing their legislator of undermining governor James Orengo’s efforts to woo investors into Siaya.
According to the residents, a recent call by the local MP, Samuel Atandi for the locals to oppose the alleged intended closure of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of science and technology (JOOUST) Siaya town campus was a ploy by the legislator to salvage waning support from the locals.
Addressing the media in Siaya town, the residents, led by Joram Nyanga and Francis Oduor Amollo said it was disturbing that the legislator was mobilising the residents for a demonstration on September 11, 2025, a day when the governor will be meeting potential investors who will be participating in the forthcoming Siaya International Trade and Investment Conference.
Nyanga said the legislator should not engage in activities that will drive investors away as this will impact negatively on the county and its people.
“It is worrying that he is planning a demonstration on the exact day that investors are expected to sign agreements with the governor,” lamented Nyanga adding “he wants to disrupt the process so that they dent the intended purpose of the conference”.
Nyanga said that Siaya residents will not accept such kind of machination that undermines efforts to attract investors.
His sentiments were supported by Francis Oduor Amollo who said the MP should stop using the alleged closure of the campus to undermine governor Orengo’s leadership.
Amollo said that instead of peddling lies about the governor and the county government of Siaya, the legislator should devote his energy on looking for enough land for the university.
“We have prisons right here in town. He should concentrate his efforts in looking for land to transfer the prisons and have the current land on which it stands converted to university,” said Amollo.
Amollo said the MP’s action has left members of the public questioning whether he, and some of his colleagues in the national assembly, really know their roles.
“A good number of MPs seem not to know their roles. It appears that when they were being inducted upon election, some of them were not keen,” he said and asked the speaker of the national assembly to arrange for a forum to re-induct them afresh.
Last week, Alego- Usonga member of parliament, Samuel Atandi accused the Siaya county government of denying Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) land on which its Siaya town campus sits, forcing it to order closure and relocation of students.
Atandi appealed to both the county government and relevant authorities to rescind the decision which, he said, will kill the economy of the town.
The legislator said that he recently received communication from the university vice chancellor that they intend to close the campus which is based at the Siaya agricultural training centre.
“The reason being that the land on which the campus is sitting belongs to the county government which has another programme for it,” said Atandi who is also the chairman of the budget committee in the national assembly.
The legislator said that the county government intends to put up a new headquarters hence the university has to give way.
He said that his attempts to implore the governor to release the land to the university for its expansion has hit a snag.
“We met in Nairobi together with the entire leadership of Siaya and implored governor James Orengo to consider retaining that land for the sake of the expansion of the university instead of the county headquarters but it seems the governor is not listening” he said.
Atandi told Orengo to respect the wishes and interests of the people of Alego -Usonga who would rather have the university on the land than county offices.
He said the governor risked portraying himself as an autocratic leader by pushing through an idea that is not popular and progressive.
“Listen to us. Don’t be autocratic. You always say you are a democrat but on this one, you are becoming a dictator” the MP told Orengo.
Several stakeholders, among them academicians hailing from the area have raised concerns about the matter, challenging the governor to come out and clear the air.
However, the governor is yet to respond.
