On the third day of his Nyanza tour, President William Ruto took his battle with the emerging Linda Mwananchi movement straight to Governor James Orengo’s political backyard in Siaya, warning voters against experimenting with what he called fledgling political formations.
The President urged the electorate to rally behind parties within the broad-based government, dismissing newly formed and yet to be registered outfits as formations lacking the ideological depth, national reach and tested machinery needed to steer the country.
The choice of Siaya was loaded with symbolism. Dr Ruto’s message came days before the Linda Mwananchi team is expected to pitch camp in the county, turning his development tour into an early political contest over who controls Nyanza’s post-Raila Odinga political space.
Supporters dance as they wait for President William Ruto to address them at Ahindi Gardens in Siaya County on September 15, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation
He questioned Governor Orengo’s decision to join a movement he claimed was being sponsored to attack him, urging the county boss instead to work with his administration to develop the region.
“I am telling Orengo to leave the outfit called Linda Sponsors or Linda Sponyo and join me in this development journey and build hospitals. I am asking you people, did you choose him to join Linda Sponsors? Why does he allow himself to be a political stooge and puppet to be used by a former president who has retired? Orengo has really disappointed us,” said Dr Ruto.
The President also renewed his attacks on former President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing him of abandoning the role of a statesman and becoming a ‘rebel’ leader bent on destabilising his government.
“This Uhuru Kenyatta did not beat me when he was a sitting president, and now that I am the president and he has retired, how will he beat him? Instead of being a statesman, he has turned into a ‘rebel leader’. Even the courts have told him to keep off. It is very embarrassing,” said Dr Ruto.
He claimed Mr Kenyatta was sponsoring politicians to face him after failing to implement various programmes in the education and health sectors.
Speaking while inspecting the construction of Dhogoye Bridge in Bondo, Siaya County, Dr Ruto sought to marry development with politics, telling residents that the broad-based government had opened a new chapter of development in a region he said had lagged behind for years.
“The broad-based political team is the only political formation with the capacity to unite our nation. It is the only formation with a proven track record, a credible vision for the future and a practical plan to address the challenges facing our country. The alternatives are either personality cults, makeshift political formations and briefcase parties with neither the capacity to unite Kenyans nor a serious agenda for the country,” said Dr Ruto.
His message was unmistakably aimed at the Linda Mwananchi brigade, which is yet to settle on a political vehicle, as well as other emerging parties seeking to harvest a slice of Nyanza’s political constituency following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Among the formations seeking a foothold in the region is the Movement for Democracy and Growth Party, led by Ugenya Member of Parliament (MP) David Ochieng, and the People’s Prosperity Party, associated with former Cabinet Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy Eliud Owalo, who is also contesting the presidency.
In another symbolic gesture, Dr Ruto delivered his message wearing an orange cap branded ODM, the party that for years served as Mr Odinga’s political vehicle.
The President warned Siaya voters against what he described as a political gamble, arguing that emerging outfits lacked the experience and track record to offer a credible alternative.
“Our nation will not experiment with people engaging in trial and error. Do not gamble with those who have no plan or lack a clear track record to deliver for you and are only preoccupied with titles and sloganeering,” said Dr Ruto.
In Ugenya, where he was inspecting the construction of Sihay-Bar Ober-Sega Road, Dr Ruto extended an olive branch to Mr Ochieng, the area MP and leader of the MDG, asking him to join the broad-based government.
“Our nation is too important for such people. The broad-based coalition is the only one with a plan. I want to tell my brother and your area MP David Ochieng that we walk together here in the broad-based government. We want to work by uniting ODM and UDA,” said Dr Ruto.
President William Ruto addresses a rally in Siaya Town on September 15, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation
Mr Ochieng readily embraced the overture, but attached a political price tag. He asked the President to support his bid to succeed Mr Orengo as Siaya Governor, promising to deliver an overwhelming vote for Dr Ruto in the 2027 election.
“I have enjoyed working with you, Mr President, because you have been a good friend. You have helped Ugenya and I develop in the last 15 years and that is why we will give you 99.9 per cent of our votes. These people gave a 78-year-old man the job as their governor but he has failed. Mr President, in this broad-based government, the seat of Siaya Governor should be given to me,” said Mr Ochieng.
The leaders accompanying Dr Ruto used the tour to turn up the political heat on Governor Orengo, who was absent, attacking his development record and questioning the political direction he had chosen for Siaya and the wider Nyanza region.
Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi accused the governor of presiding over years of stagnation, arguing that the region had only begun witnessing significant development under the current administration.
“All leaders of Siaya are united except one. President Ruto, leave Orengo for us, we will ensure he goes home,” said Mr Wandayi.
Homa Bay Governor and ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga said her Siaya counterpart should stop misleading the Luo community.
“Take this message to Orengo that where he is planning to take us, we shall not go. We are firmly in ODM and broad-based government,” said Ms Wanga.
Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol declared himself acting governor because his boss had kept off the tour.
“As the acting governor, I am here to tell you that it is part of the broad-based government fully under Dr Oburu Oginga and Ruto,” he said.
Nicholas Gumbo, the current Chairman of the Kenya Sugar Board and former Rarieda MP, said the development undertaken by President Ruto in Siaya had not been witnessed in the region for decades, attributing the previous lack of progress to poor leadership.
“Part of the problem we have here in Siaya is a governor who has stuck to activism and not delivery of services to the people,” said Mr Gumbo.
National Treasury CS John Mbadi said the establishment of the broad-based government had unlocked the economy of Nyanza, urging voters to rally behind Dr Ruto.
Dr Ruto dangled a raft of development projects before Siaya residents, seeking to reinforce his administration’s claim to have delivered where previous governments had fallen short.
He said construction of the 500km Lake Victoria Ring Road, which has been awaited for more than 15 years, would begin in November 2026. The road will run from Busia to Muhuru Bay in Migori County, through Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay counties.
Sh32 billion will be invested in building 400km of new roads in Siaya County. Dr Ruto inspected Dhogoye Bridge and ongoing roadworks in Bondo, Siaya County. The Bondo-Usenge-Osieko Road will also be tarmacked afresh.
To further boost the region’s economy, Sh10 billion has been invested in the blue economy, including research and fingerling technology in Kabonyo, four piers, ferry services and rescue centres.
A further Sh1.5 billion has been invested in nine fish landing sites to ensure the blue economy in Lake Victoria creates wealth for local communities.
