Homa Bay County Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga resigns

Homa Bay Deputy Governor Joseph Oyugi Magwanga./FILE

Homa Bay County Deputy Governor Joseph Oyugi Magwanga has resigned.

Magwanga cited irreconcilable differences with Governor Gladys Wanga in his address to the media on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

"I leave office with my conscience clear and my commitment to the people of Homa Bay County unwavering. My resolve to advocate for integrity and proper management of public resources and the fulfilment of our county remains stronger than ever," Magwanga said.

He has also expressed his readiness to contest for the gubernatorial seat in the 2027 General Elections, where he is set to face the incumbent, Gladys Wanga.

Magwanga’s resignation marks the culmination of a deteriorating working relationship that had played out both politically and legally over the past year.

The once-cordial ties between the governor and her deputy began to unravel following divergent political positions and internal administrative disagreements. The fallout can be traced back to the divisive November 27, 2025, Kasipul parliamentary by-election. Magwanga publicly defied Wanga by campaigning for Kasipul MP candidate Philip Aroko, despite Wanga leading campaigns for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Boyd Were.

The by-election exposed sharp political differences within the county leadership and is widely seen as the turning point in their strained relationship. Shortly afterwards, Wanga initiated a sweeping reorganisation of her administration.

The shake-up saw several senior officials lose their positions, including Magwanga, who was removed from his role as the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Agriculture. Dr Peter Ogolla, who had been serving as the CEC Member for Lands, was also relieved of his duties. In a letter signed by County Secretary Bernard Muok, the governor defended the changes as necessary for better service delivery.

“In order to enhance service delivery to better serve the people of Homa Bay, and while exercising the powers bestowed on me, I reassign Danish Onyango as the executive member for Agriculture. Dr Peter Ogolla is dismissed as provided under Section 35(a) of the County Governments Act,” Wanga stated.

Around the same time, the governor publicly cautioned officials who could not align with her administration’s agenda, advising them to consider resigning. Tensions escalated further in early February when Magwanga moved to court, challenging what he termed as the governor’s decision to close his office.

According to Magwanga, the closure left him without a workspace and effectively rendered him incapable of executing his constitutional mandate as deputy governor.

“I went to court to petition the court to order the governor to unlock my office that she locked last year. She has rendered me jobless. I have nowhere to sit to offer my services to the people of Homa Bay,” Magwanga said.

He argued that keeping his office locked undermined service delivery and denied county residents the support and representation they were entitled to receive. Magwanga maintained that he could not discharge his duties from home or under a tree, insisting that the office space was essential for him to serve effectively.

Magwanga sought court orders compelling Governor Wanga to reopen his office, which he claimed had remained inaccessible since last year. Prior to the legal battle, Magwanga had publicly lamented being sidelined in key decision-making processes within the county administration.

He suggested that his exclusion from strategic discussions and administrative roles had weakened his ability to contribute meaningfully to county governance.