Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol has been expelled from the ODM party and relieved of his duties on suspicion of associating with UDA party to frustrate Governor James Orengo‘s leadership
This was a resolution reached following a delegates meeting that accused Oduol of party disloyalty.
According to, Siaya County ODM Organizing Secretary Walter Okello the resolutions come after an order from ODM’s Secretary for Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi, had asked Oduol to resign over his ‘evidently toxic relationship’ with Governor James Orengo.
“Hon. Oduol should tender his resignation without any further delay. This would then create room for Hon. Orengo to appoint a replacement with whom he can harmoniously steer the County Government of Siaya,” he said.
This as the party meeting which was also attended by Governor James Orengo, had decided to begin filling other party positions where office bearers had decamped to the ruling UDA party.
Speaking in a television interview, DG Oduol had alleged that irregular amounts were being withdrawn from the imprest account, accusing the Governor of embezzling county funds.
“I had started seeing KES 5Million withdrawals today…every two or three days, I see another KES 10Million withdrawals. So I summoned the Finance folks to come to my office to explain those abnormal withdrawals .And they couldn’t explain. So I threatened that I was going to invite the EACC to come to the office. Then they, you know, confessed that they have been withdrawing and taking to the office of the Governor for county operations. So I said I was going to ask the Governor. So I went and asked the Governor. That was towards the end of November. And the Governor said he was not doing that”, Oduol stated during the interview.
The DG who was armed with bank statements during the live show on local TV had further revealed that the total amount withdrawn in November from the Siaya County coffers was KES 46Million.
He went on:
“Then I said, this is my Governor, and I have confronted him. I am sure this is going to stop. I didn’t want to put him on the spot. So I left it at that. Come December, KES 41 Million was withdrawn, KES 26Million in January. In record three months, we had withdrawn from imprest over KES 100Million”.
Oduol accused the Siaya County assembly of dismissing the evidence he had tabled before them on grounds of being unsubstantiated.
On Monday, The Siaya County assembly convened with 38 out of 39 MCA’s voting to kick Oduol out in solidarity with the predominant ODM party resolution.
“The committee and the meeting has therefore noted with great concern an emerging trend of a few officials of the County government opting to prosecute unsubstantiated claims in the media, instead of exploring the available dispute resolution mechanism within the party”, the MCA’s read in a statement.
“Such officials are therefore deemed to be working in cahoots with the UDA party, and are therefore no longer recognized as members of the ODM party. It is clear that they are agents of instability and confusion, sent to distract the Governor from delivering his agenda for the people of Siaya”, they stated.