Ombudsman urges Orengo to revoke five Siaya appointments as unlawful
Key points
- CAJ (Ombudsman) advised immediate revocation of five Siaya appointments it found unlawful or irregular under Governor James Orengo.
- Named posts: Acting CO Tourism/Culture/Sports/Arts Peter Asuke; Acting County Attorney (County Solicitor); Governor’s Press Director George Adeya; Acting County Secretary Elizabeth Adongo; Finance CEC George Nying’iro after a rejected nomination and expired contract.
- Findings cite missing County Assembly approval, indefinite acting roles, bypassed CPSB recruitment and failed academic/qualification showings; CPSB gender mix (1 woman, 5 men) breaches two-thirds principle.
- CAJ also recommended referring the Governor and Nying’iro to EACC for investigation.
County Assembly approval is not optional paperwork — that is the through-line of an Advisory Opinion from the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ, Office of the Ombudsman) that now presses Siaya Governor James Orengo to unwind five appointments, Eastleigh Voice reported.
CAJ acted after the Siaya County Assembly, through the Clerk on 16 June 2026, sought guidance following a Committee on Appointments report titled “Irregular Appointments by the Governor” dated 10 June 2026. The Assembly said irregular posts continued despite its resolutions. The Commission’s list for revocation covers Acting Chief Officer for Tourism, Culture, Sports and Arts Peter Asuke; the County Solicitor serving as Acting County Attorney; Director of the Governor’s Press George Adeya; Acting County Secretary Elizabeth Adongo; and CEC Member for Finance and Economic Planning George Nying’iro.
Acting posts, expired finance contract, gender-unbalanced board
On Asuke, CAJ said the acting chief officer role lacked Assembly approval, ran indefinitely and did not meet required academic qualifications — remaining in place after the Assembly called it unlawful. The Acting County Attorney posting was found void for missing Assembly approval and the process under the Office of the County Attorney Act, 2020. Adeya’s press director appointment was held procedurally unlawful for skipping County Public Service Board suitability processes and failing to demonstrate prescribed qualifications, contrary to Articles 10, 73 and 232. Adongo’s acting county secretary role lacked Assembly approval and a fixed acting duration after a contract vacancy, described as circumvention of the County Governments Act and Public Appointments (County Assemblies Approval) Act pathways.
Nying’iro’s case is sharper still: he continued after contract expiry and after the Assembly rejected his nomination; a purported extension dated 29 May 2026 came after the contract had lapsed and could not revive it, leaving occupation after 31 March 2026 unlawful. Separately, CAJ said withdrawal of a female CPSB nominee left one woman and five men, breaching Article 27(8) and Section 58A of the County Governments Act. Recommendations include immediate revocations, fresh lawful recruitments, a qualified woman nominee for board balance, and referral of the Governor and Nying’iro to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. Kenya-news desk: Kenya News. Verified names, dates and legal anchors from Eastleigh Voice; any court challenge or Governor’s written reply was not in the same package.
Siaya’s next public documents — gazettes, Assembly Hansard and EACC acknowledgements — will show whether the Advisory Opinion becomes personnel change or a political standoff. Until then, every new county signature sits under a compliance cloud CAJ has already named.
Based on Eastleigh Voice reporting of the CAJ Advisory Opinion (Lucy Mumbi, 10 August 2026). CAJ recommendations are not court decrees; affected persons remain entitled to lawful process.
