Homabay Governor Gladys Wanga has officially declared the Deputy Governor position vacant, after the resignation of Oyugi Magwanga on February 26.
Wanga confirmed she received Magwanga’s resignation letter dated February 26, 2026, and accepted it with immediate effect, setting off a significant political shift in the lakeside county.
“I acknowledge receipt of a letter dated 26th February 2026 from the Deputy Governor tendering resignation from office with immediate effect. I have today formally accepted the said resignation,” stated Governor Wanga.
In a statement released on Friday, February 27, the governor invoked Article 181(1) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, and Section 32C(b) of the County Governments Act, 2012, to formally declare the seat vacant.
Magwanga, who ran alongside Wanga on an ODM ticket during the 2022 General Elections, cited “persistent and irreconcilable differences” as the reason behind his decision to step down.
The resignation ends months of open speculation about a rift between the two leaders, sources privy to the matter having long pointed to deep political tensions within the county’s top office.
Wanga, however, in the statement told the public a different story, stressed that Magwanga’s increasing focus on his own future political ambitions had gradually undermined his effectiveness in the deputy governor’s role.
“It is, however, imperative for the public to understand that a sustained preoccupation with future political ambitions increasingly compromised the collective focus required in the Office of the Deputy Governor,” stated Governor Wanga.
In 2022, Magwanga had declared his bid for governor but later withdrew after ODM urged him to accept the running mate slot in the spirit of party unity, a request he agreed to.
Beyond his constitutional duties, Wanga says her administration went further by assigning him the additional docket of County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture and Livestock Development.
The relationship reportedly soured further when Magwanga openly opposed the ODM-backed candidate during the Kasipul by-election, a move that Wanga says contributed to raised legitimate concerns about unity of purpose.
Wanga moved quickly to reassure Homa Bay residents, stating that county operations would continue without disruption and that the vacancy would be filled in accordance with the law.
“I assure residents that County Government operations will proceed seamlessly. Service delivery remains uninterrupted, and the vacancy in the Office of the Deputy Governor will be addressed in accordance with the law,” assured Governor Wanga.
She thanked Magwanga for his service and wished him well, even as the county now braces for the political realignments his departure is almost certain to trigger ahead of 2027.