Siaya County’s 2027 political race has taken a new turn after Deputy Governor William Oduol publicly declared that he will vie for the governor’s seat, setting up a direct contest with his current boss, Governor James Orengo, within the ODM party.
Oduol made the declaration while hosting religious leaders from Alego Usonga constituency at his rural home in Hawinga village.
During the meeting, he said his decision was informed by disappointment with how the county has been run and the failure to deliver key services to residents.
The Deputy Governor confirmed that he will seek the ODM party ticket, saying the contest will begin at the party nomination stage, where he expects to face Governor Orengo and other aspirants.
“I would like to state that today I have declared officially my candidacy for Governor of Siaya County on an ODM ticket. I’m presenting myself for nominations and thereafter offer myself to contest against the rest of the other candidates. I’m going to contest in the ODM nominations, hopefully with James Orengo, na mimi nangoja yeye,” he said.
Oduol has remained largely away from his office for close to three and a half years following a fallout with the governor. He said this period has shown that the county administration has failed to live up to what it promised voters during the last election.
He pointed to the manifesto they used in the 2022 campaigns, stating that it has not guided development as expected, despite being the key document presented to residents.
According to Oduol, the development plan was mainly his work and was meant to drive change across the county. He said he allowed the current leadership enough time to implement it but nothing meaningful came out of it.
He explained that his entry into the race is driven by a desire to complete the vision he had for Siaya and to restore trust among residents who believed in the agenda.
“The manifesto that we have in Siaya County was largely my manifesto. I actually developed it, and unfortunately that manifesto as not been implemented. I am therefore taking this opportunity and imploring and asking the rest of the citizenry and residents of Siaya County to elect me in 2027 so that the new Siaya dream can be actualized, and the 9-point agenda in the manifesto can be implemented,” said Dr. Oduol.
The Deputy Governor also said that Siaya’s development requires strong management, arguing that the county needs a leader focused on administration rather than activism or legislative roles.
He maintained that effective leadership at the county level must prioritise planning, execution, and service delivery if real progress is to be achieved.
Dr. Oduol promised that if elected as the third governor of Siaya, he would change how the county is managed, with emphasis on healthcare, food production, and empowerment of young people and women.
He said his bid is aimed at turning promises into action and ensuring that the county moves forward in line with the vision that residents were given during the last election.
