Siaya Governor Orengo Clarifies Protest Remarks, Says They Were a “Warning”

SIAYA, Kenya – Siaya Governor James Orengo has walked back on his recent call for nationwide protests, stating his comments were a “warning” to the government and not an immediate summons to the streets.

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Speaking on Wednesday, November 19, during an interview with Ramogi TV, Orengo insisted his remarks had been misinterpreted. He clarified that he was only underscoring the constitutional right of citizens to demonstrate should the government fail in its duties.

“I did not mean we would just go. I meant that if issues are not being addressed properly, the streets are open, and we can protest in an organised way,” Orengo explained.

The Governor’s clarification comes just five days after he struck a more militant tone. While speaking at the ODM party’s 20th-anniversary celebration in Mombasa County on Friday, November 14, Orengo declared, “If you are afraid, do not sell us fear. We are prepared to go back to the streets. I, as James Orengo, am prepared to go back to the streets.”

His sentiments were echoed at the same event by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who threatened to rally citizens against the rising cost of living.

In his Wednesday interview, Orengo expressed frustration that he was being singled out for condemnation despite other party figures making similar statements.

“Some people think that when I said we can go to protests, it meant I could personally take to the streets, and even Babu Owino said something similar,” he noted, questioning the focus on his comments.

The initial calls for protest have drawn mixed reactions from the public and sharp criticism from senior government officials. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi recently voiced his concerns, noting that such calls, particularly from ODM members, risked dragging the party backward and rekindling old political wounds from past periods of unrest.

With his latest clarification, Governor Orengo appears to be reframing his position, advocating for protest as a latent political right rather than an imminent plan of action.

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