Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga initiated a new phase of the political crisis in Homa Bay County this week by publicly refusing to assume his official office. He cited deep mistrust of the county leadership and raised urgent constitutional questions regarding the county’s future governance.
The refusal of the Deputy Governor to occupy the office designated to him at the new county headquarters in the Arujo area represents an extraordinary separation between him and Governor Gladys Wanga, a strong political figure who is also the National Chairperson of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
The deputy governor shocked the county officials and staff when he called the office “bewitched” and refused to step inside, arguing that only a reallocation to a different office would make him come back to work. He said this was a sign of political interference that had gone deeper and a breach of the constitutional norms that govern the holding of public office.
According to reports, staff working for Magwanga found the deputy governor’s office locked and out of reach upon their arrival for work, a step he claims is being taken by certain political figures within the county government who want to cut him off and make him irrelevant. He declared the closing of the office illegal and predicted that the people would express their dissatisfaction through voting, stating that the governor’s term could be over soon.
The enmity between the top two leaders of the county results from the Kasipul by-election, where Magwanga openly supported an independent candidate against the ODM-endorsed nominee. This action activated a number of retaliations, one being Magwanga’s exit from his position as County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Close political associates of Governor Wanga have advised Magwanga to resign in case he thinks of fighting her in the 2027 gubernatorial race, on the grounds that he cannot be in an administration and at the same time be campaigning against her.
The gradually worsening quarrel has not only brought a lot of criticisms from local leaders and residents, but also some of them calling for a discussion while others are giving warning that the deadlock will affect the county service delivery and governance stability.
As the lines of political division become more pronounced in one of Kenya’s major ODM strongholds, experts say that the ongoing crisis in Homa Bay might have national political implications as 2027 draws nearer.
Leave a Reply