Whispers of absence grew into conspiracy theories and a fully-fledged national inquiry into the whereabouts of Siaya Governor James Aggrey Bob Orengo.
All have been brought to rest now with a revelation that the Governor is under medical care in Massachusetts, USA, and his condition is stable.
In the heart of Siaya County, whispers of absence turned into national curiosity. This comes after a post from online Blogger Maverick Aoko claiming that Orengo was poisoned, Aoko’s Post
The once-constant presence of Governor James Aggrey Bob Orengo—a towering figure in Kenya’s political and legal history—had vanished from the public scene. Now, after weeks of speculation, it has been officially confirmed: the veteran politician and second-term governor is in the United States receiving medical attention.
This revelation came courtesy of The Star newspaper, which reported that Orengo quietly left the country sometime in early July and had not been seen publicly since his appearance before the Senate on June 23. The paper notes that the governor is undergoing treatment for a non-life-threatening but delicate condition, which has not been publicly disclosed by either his family or the Siaya County Government.
Sources quoted by The Star indicate that Orengo sought specialized medical consultation and care in Massachusetts, where he is reportedly addressing complications related to an undisclosed—but pre-existing—condition. According to medical experts close to the matter, the governor had been managing the condition for some time, but recent stress and a packed work schedule made the overseas medical trip necessary.
Though the Siaya County leadership initially remained silent, a senior official in his office later confirmed to The Star that the governor is “undergoing treatment but remains in stable condition and in communication with key county leadership.” The source emphasized that the situation is being “closely managed,” with Orengo under round-the-clock care and scheduled to return before the end of August—pending medical clearance.
In his absence, County Deputy Governor William Oduol Denge is expected to handle critical functions in consultation with the County Secretary and Executive Committee Members.
Despite previous interpersonal tensions—peaking during a failed impeachment attempt against Oduol in 2023—the two have since resumed administrative cooperation toward continued service delivery.
