Political Fallout: Wanga Strips Magwanga of Agriculture Duties in Cabinet Reshuffle
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has taken decisive action against her deputy, Oyugi Magwanga, stripping him of his additional duties as County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Agriculture. The move follows an escalating political rift triggered by Magwanga’s decision to publicly back a rival candidate during the recent Kasipul by-election.
The decision was formalized through an executive order issued on December 1, 2025, marking a broader reshuffle within the County Executive Committee. In her announcement, Governor Wanga said the changes were necessary to set the county on a “new phase of focused administration.”
Under the new arrangement, Danish Onyango will retain his role as CEC for Roads, Public Works, Transport and Infrastructure. He will also serve as Acting CEC for Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Development, temporarily filling the position vacated by Magwanga.
The governor also removed Dr. Peter Ogolla as CEC for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development. She has since nominated Joseph Mitito to replace him, pending vetting and approval by the County Assembly. The County Secretary was directed to oversee the smooth transition of responsibilities across the affected departments.
The reshuffle comes just days after Magwanga openly campaigned for Phillip Aroko, who ran against Boyd Were, the ODM candidate supported by Governor Wanga. Magwanga criticized the ODM nomination process, alleging external interference and claiming it was neither free nor fair.
Following the election, Governor Wanga publicly called out officials undermining her administration, urging them to resign if they could not work in harmony with her leadership.
“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,” she said during a rally on November 29, 2025.
She vowed to continue pushing out individuals unwilling to cooperate with her agenda, emphasizing that internal discord would no longer be tolerated.
While Magwanga has lost his CEC responsibilities, his removal as Deputy Governor is not straightforward. Under Article 181 of the Constitution and Section 33 of the County Governments Act, a Deputy Governor can only be ousted through a motion initiated by a Member of County Assembly (MCA). This process requires support from two-thirds of the County Assembly, followed by a Senate investigation to uphold the charges. For now, Magwanga remains deputy governor but without the powerful Agriculture docket.
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Political Fallout: Wanga Strips Magwanga of Agriculture Duties in Cabinet Reshuffle