Homa Bay Governor Wanga fires deputy from cabinet amid growing county leadership fallout

The rift between Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga and her deputy Oyugi Magwanga continued to widen on Monday after sacking him from his county minister position.

Oyugi Magwanga, who is a former Kasipul Constituency MP before being Wanga's deputy in the 2022 General Election, was additionally accorded the role of county Agriculture and Livestock minister.

In a letter seen by The Eastleigh Voice, the county chief, who fell out with her deputy over the by-election contest in Kasipul last week, also sacked Magwanga's ally in the county cabinet.

Peter Ogolla has also been sacked from his Lands and Physical Planning docket in the purge that targets officials not loyal to the county leadership. In the letter, Danish Onyango and Joseph Mitito will replace Magwanga and Ogolla, respectively, in their dockets.

Tensions have been escalating in Homa Bay County since last week after Wanga dared her detractors to resign amid a fallout with Magwanga.

Speaking at a rally in Homa Bay County, she dared Magwanga and other county officials opposing her administration to resign and pave the way for those willing to work with her.

She emphasised that no one working in her administration has the moral authority to criticise it, insisting that loyalty and discipline are non-negotiable for all county officers.

"Someone cannot be working in your administration and speaking ill of the same administration because getting to be the leader of a government is very difficult," Wanga said.

Wanga issued a stern warning, recounting the struggles she underwent and the sacrifices she made to clinch the top position.

"I traversed the county and even used my own resources to become the governor. If I employ you to work in this government, then they must work per the regulations," she added.

Wanga insisted that she would no longer tolerate internal disagreements within his administration, adding that she would push for the removal of any official unwilling to cooperate.

And when the day comes that they feel tired and no longer able to work with this county government, they should feel free to resign and pave the way for others," Wanga asserted.

Adding, " Henceforth, I want to be tough; anyone who does not want to work in my government will be forced to resign, and I will allocate those positions to others."

Magwanga has protested his barring from accessing county offices, according to a protest letter directed to Wanga.

In the letter, he notes that he and his staff have been locked out of accessing their offices that are within Homa Bay Town.

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"It has come to my urgent attention that my office, alongside the County Secretary and Payroll Management offices, has been unlawfully locked, barring staff from performing their duties," said Magwanga in the letter.

He said the decision is not only unethical and illegal but an alarming display of blatant impunity and abuse of power.

"I condemn this shameful and retrogressive assault on public administration in the strongest possible terms. Locking up government offices over political disagreements is an intolerable attack on our democratic institutions and the rule of law," he protested.

He alleges that this is a calculated political power play aimed directly at undermining my office and obstructing the functions of county governance.

In his view, the locking of other offices is nothing more than collateral damage in this reckless scheme, a clear sign of intolerance for dissent and disregard for the public interest.

Magwanga further stated that political differences and dissenting opinions must be resolved through dialogue, respect, and lawful means, and not through intimidation, exclusion, or misuse of authority. This toxic approach

must end.

Her sentiments come amid a fallout with her deputy, Oyugi Magwanga, following the latter's decision to campaign for an Independent candidate in the Kasipul parliamentary seat, Philip Aroko.

Magwanga defied his boss and campaigned for Aroko despite Governor Wanga leading campaigns for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Boyd Were.

While speaking last week before the by-elections, Magwanga claimed that the nomination process that settled on Boyd Were as the ODM flag bearer was not free and fair.