Homa Bay County has been thrown into political uncertainty after Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga resigned from office.
Magwanga, who was elected together with Governor Gladys Wanga in the 2022 General Election, confirmed his resignation on Thursday, February 26. His exit comes after months of tension and public disagreements between the two leaders.
Sources close to the county leadership say the relationship between Magwanga and Wanga had worsened over the past year. What started as a small administrative disagreement reportedly grew into serious political differences. The fallout is said to have made it difficult for the two to work together.
Before stepping down, Magwanga had openly complained that he was being sidelined in major county decisions. He claimed he was not given enough responsibilities and accused the governor of locking his office.
In February, the former deputy governor moved to court to challenge the alleged closure of his office. He sought orders to compel the governor to reopen it, arguing that he had been left without a workspace.
“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 at the time.
He insisted that operating without an office made it impossible for him to serve residents effectively. According to him, his duties could not be carried out from home or in informal settings.
The dispute is believed to have deepened in November last year when Magwanga campaigned for Kasipul parliamentary candidate Philip Aroko. This move went against Governor Wanga’s position, as she led campaigns for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Boyd Were. The political disagreement is seen as a key turning point in their relationship.
Magwanga’s resignation is expected to reshape Homa Bay County’s political landscape as leaders begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election. The governor is now expected to nominate a new deputy governor, subject to approval by the county assembly.
The development marks a major shift in the county’s leadership and could influence political alignments in the coming months.
