This internal acknowledgment of panic highlights a logical fear: Orengo's decades-long association with Raila Odinga, coupled with his own clean slate regarding any political 'deal' with Ruto, makes him the most credible figure to unify the fractured opposition.
The undisclosed nature of the briefing confirms that the administration is aware of a threat the public has yet to fully grasp.
Orengo's strength lies in his mastery of both legal strategy and political mobilization. As a renowned constitutional lawyer who successfully challenged past election results, his political moves are meticulously backed by legal theory.
His opposition to any ODM collaboration with the Ruto administration (the "broad-based government") proves he maintains a hardline, principled stance, which is the necessary political fact to unify a disillusioned base.
The State House fears his capacity to exploit the constitutional weaknesses of Ruto's administration through legal challenges while simultaneously rallying voters.
In the post-Raila era, Orengo is quietly emerging as the most trusted senior political voice in the Nyanza region, capitalizing on his long history of activism and development focus in Siaya County.
The leak suggests Ruto fears Orengo's capacity to consolidate the entire Luo Nyanza bloc—a crucial voting base that has historically voted as a unit—without the internal friction that affects younger, ambitious leaders like Babu Owino.
Orengo offers a safe, predictable, and nationally respected alternative around which the opposition can safely rally.
The core reason for the panic is Orengo's perceived unwavering principle and independence.
Unlike other former opposition figures who have been co-opted, Orengo's consistent condemnation of the ODM's softening stance on the Ruto administration demonstrates a unique lack of compromise.
Ruto fears an opponent who cannot be easily bought, intimidated, or co-opted; this forces the administration to prepare for a genuine, hard-fought contest rooted in legal and constitutional legitimacy, rather than mere political horse-trading.
The 'secret briefing' leak serves as a critical factual warning that Ruto's campaign must pivot its strategy.
Instead of focusing on taming or co-opting a scattered opposition, they must now prepare for a unified challenge led by a veteran statesman with significant legal and regional heft.
Orengo's quiet rise is, therefore, a declaration that the 2027 election may hinge less on economic promises and more on the integrity of the constitutional process—a field in which Orengo's skills pose the greatest risk to the incumbent.