Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has reshuffled her cabinet, stripping Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga of his agriculture role amid political tensions. The move follows Magwanga's support for a rival in the recent Kasipul by-election. Wanga appointed Danish Onyango as acting agriculture minister and dismissed Peter Ogolla from lands.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has issued an executive order on December 1, 2025, reshuffling the County Executive Committee amid escalating tensions with Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga. Magwanga, who previously oversaw the Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Development docket alongside his deputy role, was removed after publicly supporting independent candidate Philip Aroko in the Kasipul by-election last week. Aroko opposed Boyd Were, the ODM candidate backed by Wanga and party leaders, who ultimately won the seat.
Wanga described the changes as initiating a new phase of focused administration. “We've made changes to the membership of the County Executive Committee, effective immediately. This restructuring initiates a new phase of focused administration for our county,” she posted. Danish Onyango was reassigned to continue as CEC for Roads, Public Works, Transport, and Infrastructure, while also taking on acting duties for Agriculture.
The governor also dismissed Dr. Peter Ogolla from the Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development department and nominated Joseph Mitito to replace him, pending vetting by the County Assembly. Ogolla is said to be an ally of Magwanga. Following the by-election results, Wanga challenged Magwanga and other dissenting officials to resign and make way for those willing to work. “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 at a rally on November 29, 2025.
The rift stems from a 2022 political rivalry between Wanga and Magwanga, which required intervention from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to reconcile them. Magwanga ran for governor in 2017, losing to Cyprian Awiti, and served as Kasipul MP from 2007 to 2017. Under the Kenyan Constitution, a deputy governor can only be removed via a motion initiated by MCAs, approved by two-thirds of the County Assembly, and upheld by the Senate.