By Hope Barbra
Homa Bay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga has resigned.
In a statement, Magwanga said that after deep reflection, he decided to resign with immediate effect.
“Today, after deep reflection and consultations with leaders, supporters, and my family, I have resolved to resign from the office of Deputy Governor with immediate effect,” he wrote.
He said it was an honor serving as deputy governor under the arrangement brokered by the late Raila Amolo Odinga.
“In 2022, I accepted the honor of serving as the running mate to H.E. Gladys Nyasuna Wanga after consultations presided over by the late former Prime Minister and party leader, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga. Following our electoral victory, I was sworn in with a solemn commitment to serve the people of Homa Bay County faithfully, diligently, and in full obedience to the Constitution of Kenya,” he said.
Magwanga said Wanga had undermined him and that their relationship had broken down irretrievably.
“Since assuming office, I have endeavored to discharge my mandate with integrity and loyalty to the people who elected us. However, beginning December 2025, I was denied access to my official office after the locks were changed without formal communication. I was consequently compelled to proceed on early annual leave under circumstances that were not voluntary.
When my leave lapsed in January 2026, I remained locked out and unable to resume my official duties. While undertaking official duty in Nairobi, the official vehicle assigned to my office was repossessed without prior notice. The remaining county vehicle allocated to my office is unserviceable, and I have not been facilitated with fuel or logistical support necessary to perform my constitutional responsibilities.
These actions have rendered the Office of the Deputy Governor functionally inoperative and have made it impossible for me to serve effectively.
I firmly believe that public office is a sacred trust. I cannot, in good conscience, continue to earn a salary funded by the taxpayers of Homa Bay County while being deliberately prevented from performing the work they elected me to do. Leadership must be anchored in respect for institutions, constitutionalism, and mutual trust,” he wrote.
He said that after consultations, he opted to resign and will be running for the gubernatorial seat.
“After deep reflection and consultations, I have concluded that it is neither tenable nor honorable for me to remain in office under these prevailing circumstances. I therefore step aside with dignity and clarity of conscience.
To the people of Homa Bay County, I express my deepest gratitude for the trust you placed in me. I remain committed to justice, accountability, and the advancement of our county’s development and democratic ideals.
I leave office with my conscience clear and my commitment to the people of Homa Bay County unwavering. My resolve to advocate for integrity, proper management of public resources, and the fulfillment of the aspirations of our county remains stronger than ever,” he said.
Magwanga recently told Wanga that she was a one-term governor and a failure.
The deputy governor said Wanga had failed to manage the county and that the county was in shambles and incapable of paying contractors and securing basic necessities for the daily running of offices.
Magwanga told Wanga that she was an ungrateful person to those who helped her become governor in the 2022 General Election and that her time was up.
“Wanga is a one-term governor and her time is up. I sacrificed for you to be the governor, but you are a very ungrateful person. Now it is time for payback,” he said.
When Wanga was contacted for an interview, she did not pick up her calls or respond to text messages.
The Lobbying and President Uhuru Factor in the 2022 Elections
Magwanga claimed Wanga had sought the intervention of Mama Ngina Kenyatta, then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, Charity Ngilu, Martha Karua, Fred Matiang’i, and Francis Atwoli, among others, who arm-twisted Raila Odinga to endorse her candidacy.
He said Ngilu and Karua coined the gender issue that made Raila force gubernatorial aspirants to step down in her favor.
“It is unfortunate that when Raila died, and at his burial, she never recognized those who supported her to become governor. She never mentioned them at the burial, and that spoke volumes,” he said.
Wanga’s Memo to Magwanga
Wanga and Magwanga’s fallout began immediately after the elections, with the governor allegedly sidelining her deputy in management matters and refusing to honor the memorandum of understanding (MOU) they signed before Raila.
In 2023, Wanga went ahead and served Magwanga with a memo to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against him over a donor project, for which the coordinator was responsible.
“The Governor knew very well about the chicken breeding project sponsored by NAGRIP, and I told her that we inherited the project from the previous regime when it already had its own problems and procedures.
She needed to ask the coordinator, but instead, being malicious, she gave me a memo. That was very disrespectful. This was meant to demean my person, and she got the best reply,” he said.
Deputy Governor’s Office Remains Closed
Magwanga’s office remained closed after the fallout last year when Wanga relieved him of his duties as CEC for Agriculture and Livestock Development.
“My office still remains closed, and my staff have no access to it. What kind of management is this? You cannot close a public office to deny the holder access. This is a violation of the Constitution. But it is just a matter of time before the people of Homa Bay lock you out through the ballot. Your time is up, and you are going home,” he said.
“This was a calculated political power play aimed directly at undermining my office and obstructing the functions of county governance. We must remember that no individual holds public office as personal property. These offices are held temporarily on behalf of the people,” he said.
CEC Changes
Magwanga said the decision by Wanga to sack CEC Dr. Peter Ogalo, who was in charge of Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development, and nominate Joseph Mitito to the position was an abuse of the MOU they signed and a direct assault on him.
Ogalo recently obtained a court order restraining the governor from filling his position until the matter is concluded.
Magwanga said that by sacking Dr. Peter Ogalo, Wanga had reneged on a pre-election pact they signed before the late Raila Odinga and was using the absence of the former prime minister to dishonor the agreement.
“It is me who brought Ogalo to the cabinet. Sacking him without any consultation or reason is a direct affront on me. Let us see how this will end,” he said.
On her X handle, Wanga wrote: “Official Announcement: We’ve made changes to the membership of the County Executive Committee, effective immediately. This restructuring initiates a new phase of focused administration for our county.”
The Explosion
The battle between Wanga and Magwanga exploded during the Kasipul by-election, where the former campaigned for ODM candidate Boyd Were, who defeated independent candidate Philip Aroko.
Last year, Wanga admitted to a split in her government and promised to crack the whip on those who did not want to work but spoke badly about her administration while serving in it.
Speaking at a funeral in Homa Bay, Wanga said she was adequately prepared to face her opponents for the gubernatorial seat in 2027 in what she termed a battle royal.
Wanga asked those who were not happy with her administration to resign so that she could bring in new people.
“To Chieng ma owinjo ni sirkal rach ma ok onyal tiye to ogwe tawo oweyo to jakanyada machielo bede. Mano ekaka gini timore. Koso jo Kanyada orumo ma nyalo tiyo (If they are not happy with the government, let them resign and go away so that we can get new people from Kanyada who can work with me),” she said.
