Governor Gladys Wanga’s latest actions in Homa Bay show a leader who has reached her limit with internal rebellion, and her response is firm, sharp, and politically calculated.
Her treatment of her deputy Oyugi Magwanga clearly mirrors the tough, unforgiving style that many people have associated with Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, especially when dealing with dissent inside her own government.
Wanga has now taken a path that leaves no doubt about who controls Homa Bay, and her reshuffle exposes just how deep the cracks inside her administration have become.
The tension burst into the open after the Kasipul by-election, where Magwanga openly campaigned against her preferred candidate. Instead of supporting Boyd Were, the ODM choice backed by Wanga, Magwanga threw his weight behind Phillip Aroko.
It was not just a small disagreement, it was a direct challenge to the governor’s authority, done in public and at a politically sensitive moment. Magwanga tried to defend himself by saying the ODM nomination was influenced and not transparent, but the damage had already been done. For a deputy governor to stand against his governor in such a contest sent a loud message that the unity in the county’s top leadership had collapsed.
Wanga reacted quickly and without hesitation. She removed Magwanga from his extra role in the Agriculture docket, taking away the influence he enjoyed beyond the office of deputy governor. She then appointed Danish Onyango to act in that position, giving him control of two powerful departments while leaving Magwanga sidelined.
At the same time, she dismissed Dr Peter Ogolla from Lands and nominated Joseph Mitito to replace him, showing that the reshuffle was not just about Magwanga but about tightening her entire administration.
Her decision was a warning shot to anyone thinking of walking the same path of open defiance. During a public rally, she made her stance clear, telling officials who do not support her leadership to step aside instead of attacking her administration while still enjoying its privileges. Her message was simple, loyalty is not optional. Those who oppose her cannot stay inside her government and fight her at the same time.
Homabay deputy governor Joseph Oyugi Magwanga. Photo Courtesy/Facebook
Legally, Wanga cannot remove Magwanga from the position of deputy governor on her own, because the law protects that office through a lengthy impeachment process involving both the County Assembly and the Senate. But she has taken away every tool he used to exercise authority.
He is still deputy governor by title, but his influence has been stripped down completely. What remains is a deputy who sits in office without real power, surrounded by an administration that has moved on without him.
Wanga’s firm response to internal resistance is now shaping the political climate in Homa Bay. Her actions show a governor who is no longer willing to negotiate with dissenters, and the reshuffle confirms that she is reorganizing her government to secure full control.
The sharp and decisive approach she is taking makes it clear that she expects total alignment from her team, and anything short of that will meet the same forceful response Magwanga has faced.
