- In a scathing attack on the county boss, Odhiambo described Orengo as a master of the double speaker who has no moral authority to advise the president on matters judiciary.
- Odhiambo also faulted Orengo, Senior Counsel, for taking part in the outlawed Azimio street protests.
Image: FILE
Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo has fired back at Siaya Governor James Orengo for condemning President William Ruto’s debated remarks on the Judiciary.
In a scathing attack on the county boss, Odhiambo described Orengo as a master of the double speaker who has no moral authority to advise the president on matters judiciary.
“Politicians should stop their doublespeak. Orengo has been the lead legal mind of Raila Odinga and there are several instances where he misled him to defy the court orders,” he said.
According to the MP, Orengo was among the legal minds that advised Raila to preside over the swearing-in of the new chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Mzee Odungi Randa despite the existence of a court order.
Siaya High Court Judge Justice Daniel Ogembo issued a conservatory order nullifying the election of Mzee Randa as the new chairman of the Luo Council of Elders.
Randa was coroneted as the new chairman of the powerful Council at a colourful event attended by Raila and other top politicians from the community.
Odhiambo also faulted Orengo, Senior Counsel, for taking part in the outlawed Azimio street protests.
“Whereas we know and recognise that judicial independence is anchored in the Constitution, politicians should not speak from both sides of their mouth,” he said.
He added that Orengo was among the lawyers that ‘misled’ Raila to take an oath as President in January 2018 after he lost to the then-incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta.
The MP spoke hours after Orengo criticised the head of state following his controversial remarks on the judiciary.
Orengo told Ruto that there are other ways, which are constitutional and can be used to overturn the judicial decisions which are aggrieving him.
The governor said the Constitution lays out clear terms on the systems of checks and balances and is not upon the president to decide on which decision he is going to honour or defy.
He added that Ruto’s remarks are ‘most dangerous’ and risk undermining the constitution and the sovereign power of the people.
“Executive power is limited by law, there are things he cannot do. If he does anything that does not fall within the realm of his powers, including defying court orders and violating the constitution, those attract punishment and penal sanctions. He is not above the law,” he said.
Speaking in Nyandarua on Tuesday, Ruto accused the judiciary of allegedly acting in impunity and colluding with cartels to stall government projects and frustrate efforts by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Ruto assured that while his resolve to protect judicial independence remained unwavering, he would not allow a few individuals to abuse the judicial process by bribing judges to render rulings in their favour.
“I want to announce here that a few people with vested interests who are beneficiaries of corruption in NHIF are now ganging up with corrupt judicial officers to stall reforms so that fake hospital claims will continue. I want to assure you that this will not happen in Kenya again, and we will stop it,” he said.
“We will protect the independence of the Judiciary, [but] what we will not allow is judicial impunity and tyranny,” Ruto said.