By Anderson Ojwang
From obscurity, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Atieno Nyasuna Wanga has continued to defy the odds and to write her story.
In the 2013 general election, the shy and little-known Wanga wrote her story by slaying the giant, the respected educationist and the favourite candidate Mrs Roselyn Onyuka.
Onyuka, then immediate former Provincial Director of Education in Nyanza, gained respect and recognition for her contribution to education reforms in Nyanza.
Onyuka’s support and contribution towards the education of the girl child in Nyanza and the remarkable improvement in the performance of schools from the region in the national examination gave her the brand that the majority of people from Nyanza and Homa Bay identified with.
But Wanga, who had not made a name for herself in the region, relied on the brand and the camp of former Managing Director of Marie Stopes, Mr Cyprian Awiti, who had expressed interest in the gubernatorial seat for Homa Bay.
In Awiti’s camp were respected politicians — former Mbita MP the late Otieno Kajwang’ and his Kasipul counterpart Oyugi Magwanga, among others.
In the other camp were former Rangwe MP Eng Philip Okundi and Onyuka, among others. The botched Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) primaries and the intense lobbying finally saw Awiti’s camp emerge victorious, and in the arrangement, Wanga rode to victory to become the first Woman Representative for Homa Bay.
For Wanga, the election to Parliament was the launching pad for her ambitious and upward political ascension to top offices.
After her election to Parliament, her star steadily began to rise and she was elected as a member of the Parliamentary Service Commission. In Parliament, Wanga also became visible in her contributions and this endeared her to the masses.
In 2020, Wanga achieved another milestone by becoming the first woman Chair of the Finance and National Planning Committee in Kenya’s National Assembly. Her exemplary leadership in this role underscored her commitment to national development and sound financial planning.
Outside Parliament, she became a die-hard supporter of ODM leader Raila Odinga and soon became one of the key pillars of the former Prime Minister.
That is why when Kajwang’ died in 2014, Wanga defeated Homa Bay MP to become the first woman County ODM Chairperson in a fierce battle.
Kaluma had the support of the county government led by Awiti, but Wanga, with the support of Magwanga and other legislators, braved the storm to write another history.
Wanga has been an integral figure within the ODM Party, serving as Secretary to the ODM Central Management Committee since 2018.
The county chairperson seat was a temporary ground for Wanga to soar higher as last year, during the party’s restructuring, she became the first woman to be the Chairperson of ODM.
Raila wrote: “We joined the ODM faithful in celebrating Gov. Gladys Wanga, the National Party Chairperson and Governor of Homa Bay County, as she hosted us for prayer and thanksgiving.”
At the function Raila said: “Some say women cannot lead, those are fools. We should give women leadership opportunities in the country. We should respect them so that we can prosper as a country.”
In the 2022 general election, Wanga made history again to become the first woman governor from Western Kenya.
Wanga, who had faced a battery of male-dominated aspirants for the ODM ticket, defeated former Nairobi Governor Dr Evans Kidero at the general election.
Raila, when he gave the direct party ticket to Wanga, said:
“There are those aspirants who have been running for the governorship position in Homa Bay County. They have been having a meeting and invited us as party officials to come and have consultations with them. They’ve had very extensive consultations, at the end of which an agreement has been reached by way of consensus,” said Odinga.
“Out of the seven contestants who were here, they’ve all agreed to step down and back Gladys Wanga as the party candidate in the Homa Bay County gubernatorial race. In the same spirit, they’ve also nominated her running mate as Oyugi Magwanga.”
“The party has taken note and has agreed and issued a certificate to Gladys Wanga as the ODM party candidate in the gubernatorial race for Homa Bay County,” he said.
“This is a voluntary exercise; our rules provide for consensus-building, nomination by delegates and members, or direct nomination by the party. This is not a direct nomination; this has come about as a result of consensus.”
Wanga was also a founding member of the Embrace Kenya movement, which promoted the Building Bridges Initiative and the Handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Rt Hon Raila Odinga.
In 2017, she led the Nyanza presidential campaign team for Hon Raila Odinga and was a lead campaigner for the Azimio la Umoja coalition in 2022.
Wanga, as the governor of Homa Bay, has rewritten the story of the county into the national limelight. Currently, the county has witnessed development both from the national government and her administration.
Wanga is a close ally of both Raila and President William Ruto, and her support for the broad-based government has endeared her to the President.
Wanga is currently being viewed as one of the possible women who can be chosen as a probable presidential running mate in the 2027 elections.
Will Wanga wriggle her way once again through the male-dominated battle for the mantle to make another history?
