Moses Kajwang’ expresses regret over resignation of Homa Bay deputy governor
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, February 28, 2026Homa Bay senator Moses Otieno Kajwang has lamented the resignation of Homa Bay Deputy Governor Joseph Oyugi Magwanga, describing the occurrence as a sad development in what had been a well-laid political partnership that had been geared towards uniting the warring factions in the development of the county.
In a press release after the resignation was made and Governor Gladys Wanga’s acceptance of the resignation, Kajwang’ recalled how the joint ticket was formed in the 2022 General Election and how it was the culmination of active efforts to unite leaders of different political orientations in one government.
The senator revealed that the ticket that involved the combination of Wanga and Magwanga was developed by Raila Odinga and was deemed to bring in a new dawn of unity, hope, and development to Homa Bay County.
“The joint ticket between Governor Wanga and her deputy in the 2022 elections was crafted by HE Raila Odinga. It was a team of rivals which we hoped would usher in a new era of hope and development. I played a central role in uniting this team when I acted as their election campaign chair. As a matchmaker, and on behalf of many who believed in the duo, this divorce is disappointing. If I were a judge in the matter, I would have granted a decree nisi to allow for reconciliation before decree absolute,” Kajwang’ noted.
The senator also requested that Governor Wanga take time and critically consider the events that caused the failure of their working relationship.
The senator also emphasised unity and stability by stating that leaders of Homa Bay had intentionally given the county government space and peace to carry out the development agenda. He cautioned that political rivalry would halt development and service delivery to the locals.
Resignation of DG
On 26 February 2026, Oyugi Magwanga resigned as deputy governor of Homa Bay County, citing unremitting political and administrative differences with Governor Gladys Wanga. In his resignation letter, Magwanga said that he had failed to perform his constitutional duties effectively because of frustration, failure to be facilitated and what he termed a systematic exclusion of major county activities.
The bad blood between the two leaders had been gathering for months, and it intensified due to the Kasipul parliamentary by-election later in 2025. The political stance of Magwanga was not similar to that of Governor Wanga and her party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and this further complicated their working relationship. There were also reports that Magwanga had been barred from his office and deprived of official facilities, thus finding it hard to serve well.
Governor Wanga accepts the resignation of DG
Subsequently, on February 27, 2026, Governor Wanga officially accepted the resignation of Magwanga and announced that the position of Deputy Governor was empty and remained vacant in compliance with the provisions of the constitution.
She recognised his service to the county, and she also promised the residents that operations in the county would go on, even with the appointment process of a new deputy governor underway.
The departure of Magwanga was the climax of a long political battle among the leadership in the county, which was an indicator of a change in political dynamics before the 2027 general elections.