Like vintage wine, James Aggrey Orengo seems to ripen with age. In a way, the outstanding attorney has visible all of it earlier than.
He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Ugenya, Senator for Siaya County, presidential candidate, arrested and incarcerated numerous times. He’s taken at the strong and effective in politics and in authorities, or even headed a countrywide political party. But it doesn’t appear like he’ll be accomplished any time soon.
Only he is aware of his subsequent move. But undoubtedly, he’s the swashbuckler of modern Kenyan politics — bold and in a rush to address the effective and the effective, and seldom shying farfar from divisive matters, along with impeaching the President or Cabinet participants.
This has been his fodder for forty years. And this explains why, simply days after his appointment to the Cabinet in April 2008, the Daily Nation stated thus: “any rumour (Orengo) turned into to go to a nook of the us of a could see the adrenaline of the police upward push with ratings of them achieving for both a club, a tear fueloline canister or another rebellion dispersal equipment to be had to them”.
As it have been, the Presidency is usually the final prize for each flesh presser really well worth his salt. For Orengo, December 2002 turned into momentous. He ran for President of the Republic of Kenya and got here fourth with polling 0.four consistent with cent of the full vote. Orengo ran at the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Ahead of him have been Kibaki (61.three consistent with cent), Uhuru Kenyatta (30.2 according to cent) and Simeon Nyachae (5.nine consistent with cent).
The pro baby-kisser that he is, Orengo isn’t timid approximately reinventing himself. His plan in 2002 to weaken Raila Odinga’s grip on Luo Nyanza politics floundered. But now Orengo is the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) chief’s fantastic ally. That apart, as Senate Minority Leader, Orengo is one of the the maximum effective elected Opposition legislators withinside the u . s . a ., an awful lot to the chagrin of his critics who had anticipated the stop of his political profession following his failed presidential bid.
First elected to Parliament in 1980, and regardless of his proactive method to politics and governance, Orengo has in most cases been withinside the Opposition. The handiest time he has been in authorities become for the duration of the Government of National Unity, a coalition authorities, in which he served as Minister for Lands and Settlement, for 5 years. As documented somewhere else on this profile, he had combined fulfillment on this very touchy ministry. The Daily Nation, on 24 April 2008, aptly captured his upward push, in a piece of writing titled ‘Orengo’s lengthy and windy course to the Cabinet’.
Orengo’s Parliamentary tenure has now no longer been with out its honest percentage of drama. Just after President Daniel arap Moi succeeded Jomo Kenyatta, a collection of MPs emerged that stored the brand new authorities on its feet via way of means of hard nearly all repressive policies. It became a set of younger MPs, energetic, outspoken and combative. The MPs have been Orengo, Abuya Abuya, Onyango Midika, Mwashengu wa Mwachofi, Lawrence Sifuna, Chibule wa Tsuma, Koigi Wamwere. Their near allies covered Chelagat Mutai, Wasike Ndombi and George Anyona.
Some of the participants of this organization stay politically lively even as others have in view that retired or died. Abuya’s try and relaunch his fortunes in Nairobi’s Kibera throughout the 2019 through-elections failed. Midika has retired, as have 78-year-vintage Tsuma, Wamwere, Mwachofi, and 74-year-antique Sifuna. George Anyona died in 2003.
Orengo become born in February 1950. His father, Orengo Snr, went to highschool with Kenya’s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, at Maseno School. Orengo senior become additionally a pal of Argwings Kodhek (a member of the Colonial Legislative Council). Orengo schooled in diverse number one faculties in Nairobi, Kiganjo and Ugenya, and later at Ambira and Alliance excessive faculties for his O’ and A’ levels. He then studied regulation on the University of Nairobi.
After finishing his studies, Orengo labored on the Ministry of Lands and Settlement as an Assistant Secretary.
He turned into first elected to Parliament in 1980. But earlier than lengthy, he were given into hassle with President Daniel arap Moi’s authorities and turned into compelled to escape to Tanzania. He changed into later extradited returned to Kenya in June 1983 along the 1982 coup plotter Hezekiah Ochuka. Orengo misplaced his seat in January 1983 after he fled the u . s . a ., accused of, amongst different crimes, forgery, issuing fake cheques and stealing client’s money.
Luckily, with the onset of multiparty politics in Kenya, he turned into re-elected in 1992 and retained his seat withinside the next election.
When Oginga Odinga — on the time chief of the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya (FORD-Kenya) party — and President Moi agreed to ‘cooperate’, Orengo seemed to oppose the liaison. He maintained the identical role while Odinga’s son, Raila, might later come to an knowledge with Moi. While Raila decamped to the National Development Party (NDP), Orengo remained in FORD-Kenya, and this alteration of popularity become obvious in common skirmishes among the 2 events.
Eventually, while Raila disagreed with Moi and determined to throw his weight at the back of Kibaki as his desired Presidential flag-bearer, Orengo seized the possibility to run for President, watching for to advantage from a disenchanted community. However, his dismal overall performance withinside the Presidential race run jolted him.
