By Anderson Ojwang
When the hunter called and ruled the jungle, making kills and enjoying the moment of the hunt until the tides changed.
Now the hunter is the hunted and is running amok in a panic mode. The dice is cast as the hunter is now a common enemy.
This is the scenario unfolding for Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga. Wanga has dominated the political landscape, calling the shots and rising fast to become a determinant and dominant figure.
From a greenhorn politician, she climbed the ladder to become the first woman Governor from Western Kenya, the first woman ODM Chairperson, and the force behind the party fallout.
Wanga for over one decade has ruled politics and gained the trust of former ODM party leader, the late Raila Odinga, and the current party leader Dr Oburu Oginga.
The Kisumu mistake
Ahead of the Linda Mwananchi rally in Kisumu, the ODM brigades warned and mobilised the residents to boycott the event.
The ODM fraternity and the broad-based alliance held a series of meetings, including with the boda boda sector, and even occupied Kisumu International Airport.
ODM leaders including MP Sam Atandi and former MP Fred Ouda warned the Linda Mwananchi brigades of dire consequences. The youths even attacked Linda Mwananchi co-principal and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi at a Kisumu hotel.
The rally developed into an organic moment with a huge turnout.
Currently, Wanga is playing a similar script which became a cropper and could be inadvertently mobilising the residents to attend the rally.
Tides turn
In ODM, two factions emerged: Linda Ground, spearheaded by Wanga, which died at an infant stage before they reverted to the old ODM name; and Linda Mwananchi of the immediate former Secretary Edwin Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo, and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
The latest opinion poll shows that Linda Mwananchi’s approval rating is at 74 percent while Linda Ground is at 23 percent.
Wanga led the call for the sacking of Sifuna and was part of the architect who presided over the power transition of ODM leadership while Raila’s body was still airborne.
The rally
Tension and panic have for the last two weeks become part and parcel of Homa Bay County. Wanga and her team have panicked and have been traversing the region mobilising residents not to attend the Sunday rally.
Wanga had camped in Suba South Constituency, the home turf of MP Caroli Omondi, to urge residents to ignore the ODM ‘rebels’ when they hold their rally.
“We thought Omondi would work with us as Homa Bay leaders to support the appointment of Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi. Leaders agreed to end all their personal differences except Omondi. Never listen to Omondi and the Linda Mwananchi team because they don’t have an agenda. They are coming to Homa Bay to use infrastructure being financed by the government and claim that the national leadership has failed,” Wanga said.
Attack
The Linda Mwananchi coordinators were attacked by local party youths after they had presented notification to the police.
Linda Mwananchi brigades on Wednesday at a press conference claimed of a plot by Wanga and her team to unleash violence on them.
Babu has accused Wanga and Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma of allegedly plotting to disrupt the Linda Mwananchi caravan’s rally in Homa Bay County on Sunday, August 16, 2026.
Owino claimed the leaders, together with an MCA, held a meeting late Tuesday night where they allegedly discussed mobilising goons to attack supporters of the opposition movement during the planned rally.
Owino warned that the alleged mobilisation could trigger violence and called on security agencies to protect residents and participants attending the political events.
Orengo also claimed of a plot by Wanga and her team to harm them during the rally.
“I am fully aware that I’m the main target for the much-planned political violence being organised and fully funded by the state through our very own elected leaders and politicians from Homa Bay County during the Linda Mwananchi Homa Rally on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Based on the intelligence reports, we must tell Kenyans and beloved supporters that various meetings have been held in hotels and public places to organise how to violently disrupt our peaceful rally,” he wrote.
Orengo said they will not be scared by the planned violence against them.
“It is shameful that some selfish leaders who receive handouts from the state have bought crude weapons such as rungus, pangas, and knives for a section of youths to cause chaos during the rally. This must stop. Despite all this planned violence against us, the rally will go on, and nobody will create a Chinese Wall in Nyanza. The truth is that the region is ‘One Term,’ and this will be proven come 2027 general elections. Sisi tutajilinde,” he wrote.
But Wanga, in a press statement, denied the allegations and instead said Linda Mwananchi were welcome to the county to hold their rally.
“Homa Bay is open to every political persuasion. We do not believe in declaring regions ‘out of bounds’ or denying fellow Kenyans the opportunity to engage citizens because of their political affiliation,” Wanga wrote.
But Kaluma said they will face off with the opponents on Sunday and banned the use of the word “one term” in the county as it was provocation to violence.
Sifuna’s ghost
On Sunday, Sifuna’s ghost will be in Wanga’s backyard. A bad dream for the governor, a possible humiliation if the rally is a success, or victory for her if it fails.
This is the Wanga dilemma as she tries to stabilise the ship amid rebellion from the electorate over what they termed as dismal performance.
Will Sifuna be welcomed in Homa Bay, and if yes, what would be the message to Wanga from the electorate?
