Siaya Governor James Orengo
Siaya Governor James Orengo has called on Kenyans to hold leaders accountable and speak truth to power, saying leadership should serve the interests of the people and not individuals.
Speaking in Kisumu during the confirmation and installation service of Rev. Phoebe Odhiambo as Vicar of Ongalo Parish and Dean of Lower Maseno Deanery, the Siaya Governor said citizens must take an active role in shaping the country’s leadership.
“This country belongs to all of us. It is for the people to organise leaders and not for leaders to organise the people for their own interests,” Orengo said.
He urged Kenyans to reject leaders who fail to deliver services, comparing accountability to issuing football cards.
“Those who are not serving the people should be given a yellow card or a red card,” he said.
The governor also emphasised the need for courage in leadership and faith, saying Christians must remain firm in defending justice and truth.
“It is important to say the truth to power,” Orengo said, while referencing biblical teachings on justice and righteousness.
Quoting scripture, he added that society should strive for justice that “rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Orengo praised the church for its continued role in guiding society morally and spiritually, saying religious leaders have a responsibility to unite communities and promote integrity.
He said the church remains a moral compass for the nation, noting its historical roots in the courage of leaders such as Bishop Henry Okullu and Bishop Alexander Muge, who fearlessly spoke truth to power.
He added that this legacy of integrity and boldness is today carried forward by Bishop Charles Ong’injo, whose leadership he said he deeply admires and celebrates, describing the church’s voice as essential in shaping ethical leadership in society.
The governor further said that inspired by this heritage, his resolve to stand for truth and protect the integrity of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party remains unshakable.
He noted that leaders must remain firm in defending principles and accountability within political formations and national governance.
“We must reclaim our ambition as a community. We are a people destined for the highest office in the land, not a people meant to survive on handouts,” he said, adding that development reaching the region is not a favour or gift from the state but a right guaranteed to all citizens as equals in the republic.
Orengo also lauded the Nyanza region for producing some of the country’s leading professionals and intellectuals, saying the region continues to contribute significantly to Kenya’s growth and national development.
The ceremony, presided over by Rt. Rev. Charles Ong’injo, was described as a profound moment of faith, service, and continuity in church leadership, reinforcing the church’s central role in nurturing moral values and community cohesion.
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