Homa Bay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga has been relieved of his duties as the County Executive Member for Agriculture, as Governor Gladys Wanga seeks to distance herself from political critics ahead of the 2027 election.
In a letter to all executive committee members, County Attorney Fredrick Orego and County Secretary Prof Bernard Muok, the governor directed Roads Executive Danish Onyango to serve in the agricultural docket in an acting capacity.
The changes came after Mr Magwanga openly defied the governor, who is the ODM national chairperson, during the Kasipul parliamentary by-election campaign.
As a form of punishment for his defiance, Ms Wanga stripped her deputy of one of his mandates, leaving him to serve only in one office.
Mr Magwanga was also locked out of office in what he termed as imprisoning public offices in political standoffs which he said strips the government of its integrity, stalls essential services and threatens the democratic principles.
"Locking up government offices over political disagreements is an intolerable attack on our democratic institutions and the rule of law. This is a calculated political power play aimed directly at undermining my office and obstructing the functions of county governance," he wrote in a statement on Monday.
Governor Wanga also fired Lands, Housing and Physical Planning Executive Peter Ogolla, who is said to be an ally of the deputy governor. She went ahead to nominate Joseph Mitito to replace him.
According to the county boss, the changes were made for better service delivery.
"The changes herein take effect immediately. The county secretary is tasked with ensuring a smooth handover by those affected," the governor wrote.
During the campaigns, Mr Magwanga, who served as Kasipul MP ahead of the 2017 election, said he would not support Mr Were.
He told voters that there is no law dictating that the successor of a deceased MP must be related to him/her. Were is the 27-year-old son of late Kasipul MP Charles Ong'ondo Were, who was assassinated in April this year.
He went on to ask voters to support Mr Aroko, who came in second place in last week's by-election.
The suspension of Mr Magwanga as Agriculture Executive widens the differences between the governor and her deputy.
The two not see eye-to-eye ahead of the ODM nominations in 2022 as both were eyeing the Homa Bay gubernatorial seat. It took the intervention of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to broker a truce between them.
Ms Wanga also appointed him as an executive, a position he held since October 2022.
