The Siaya gubernatorial race has been blown wide open following the official return of Engineer Nicholas Gumbo to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Gumbo, the former Rarieda lawmaker who famously ditched the party in 2017 to run as an independent, was officially welcomed back on Saturday by the ODM Party Leader, Dr Oburu Oginga.

The “homecoming” took place during a high-octane Linda Ground rally at Ahindi Gardens in Siaya Town.

For Gumbo, the move marks the end of nearly a decade in the political cold and the beginning of what he calls a “fresh walk” with the outfit he helped found.

“I am happy to be back to the ODM party,” Gumbo told the charged crowd. “I want us to begin a fresh walk and continue building our outfit.”

However, Gumbo’s return wasn’t just about party unity; it was a declaration of war against the status quo.

Confirming that he will take a third stab at the Siaya Governor’s seat in 2027, the engineer launched a blistering attack on the incumbent, James Orengo.

Gumbo accused Orengo of neglecting his duties to the people of Siaya to play “errand boy” for the rival Linda Mwananchi faction led by Edwin Sifuna.

“It is sad that our Governor has been reduced to a personal bodyguard and assistant to leaders young enough to be his grandchildren,” Gumbo remarked, referring to Orengo’s frequent appearances alongside younger national politicians in the opposition wing.

The reception of Gumbo by Dr Oburu Oginga shows that the Linda Ground faction is consolidating its power.

By bringing a perennial heavyweight like Gumbo back into the fold, the Ground faction has effectively isolated Governor Orengo, who now finds himself a stranger in his own party’s headquarters.

With Gumbo back in the Orange fold, the path to the 2027 ODM nomination in Siaya promises to be one of the most brutal contests in the county’s history.