Africa-Press – Kenya. Siaya Senator and Senior Counsel James Orengo has been labelled a traitor by politicians allied to Orange Democratic Movement leader (ODM) Raila Odinga who fault him due to his change of tune on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) bill.
Orengo recently questioned the authenticity of the document released to the public. He further poked holes in the legality as well as distribution of the proposed 70 new constituencies.
National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohammed, however, accuses the Siaya Senator of hypocrisy and faults him for trying to disown a document that he himself (Orengo) co-authored.
“Orengo co-chaired the committee that produced the final BBI. He cannot turn around now to say that that we didn’t agree on this or that,
“He cannot run away from his baby. He is essentially trying to disown a document he himself, by the virtue of being a co-captain, authored. It is the height of political dishonesty,” Junet stated.
He further urged Orengo to retrace his steps and remember the journey the BBI bill had undertaken.
“The first county assembly to pass the BBI bill was Siaya that Orengo represents, why didn’t he ask them not to pass it if he feels it is a raw deal?” Junet, who is Raila’s right-hand man, posed.
The Nation reported that Raila’s inner circle sees Orengo’s stand as an attempted coup against the former Prime Minister for the Luo kingpinship – at a time when Odinga is recovering from Covid-19.
The Senator was reportedly summoned to Raila’s Karen home and State House to persuade him against his tough stance on the BBI bill.
The dissension at the BBI camp has been at the forefront in the recent past with the political divide between politicians allied to Raila over the BBI bill seemingly growing.
Recently, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo slammed ODM chairman John Mbadi during the debate on whether the Constitutional amendment bill ought to be changed in Parliament.
Mbadi had stated that the Bill could be amended by Parliament and would not be termed as unconstitutional- views that senior counsel Amollo opposed.
“Mr. Speaker as a matter of law, and this is where I disagree with my chairman, a constitutional amendment can be unconstitutional.
“Now what we have done, and professors of law like John Mbadi saying is not true but that is your view. I am talking about the law. John Mbadi you’ve not stepped in Law school so just allow me,” Amollo stated.
