By Ongaga Ongaga
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has announced sweeping changes in her County Executive Committee, signalling a fresh escalation in the long-running rift between her and her deputy, Oyugi Magwanga.
The dispute has simmered since the Kasipul-Kabondo by-election where the two sponsored different candidates.
In an Executive Order issued on Monday, Governor Wanga reassigned County Executive Member for Roads, Public Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Danish Onyango, to also serve as the Acting CEC for Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Development, a docket that was held by Magwanga.
She further dismissed Dr Peter Ogolla from the Lands, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development docket, citing provisions of Section 35(a) of the County Governments Act.
In his place, she has nominated Joseph Mitito, a well-known professional from Homa Bay Town, pending vetting by the County Assembly.
“The changes herein take effect immediately,” Governor Wanga stated in the order.
“We must enhance service delivery and better serve the people of Homa Bay.”
The reshuffle comes at a politically charged moment. Tension between Governor Wanga and her deputy has been an open secret in county corridors.
Sources indicate the fallout widened after the Kasipul-Kabondo by-election, when the deputy was reportedly blocked from accessing some of his entitled privileges, including official transport and office support.
County insiders describe the situation as “a relationship that has completely broken down,” with one senior official saying, “This is no longer a cold war—it is open hostility.”
Such wrangles are not unique to Homa Bay.
Across Kenya, governors and their deputies often clash over power, access, and political influence.
The Constitution grants deputies limited defined roles, which has frequently fuelled battles for relevance in county administrations.
Governor Wanga, however, maintains that the latest changes are purely administrative and aimed at strengthening service delivery. “This is about efficiency, not politics,” she insisted in the Executive Order.
The County Secretary has been directed to oversee a smooth transition as the county prepares for another politically sensitive period.