Let S be a finite orthodox semigroup or an orthodox semigroup where the idempotent band E(S) is locally pseudofinite. In this paper, by using principal factors and Rukolaǐne idempotents, we show that the contracted semigroup algebra R0[S] is semiprimitive if and only if S is an inverse semigroup and R[G] is semiprimitive for each maximal subgroup G of S. This theorem strengthens previous results about the semiprimitivity of inverse semigroup algebras.