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Wanga vs Magwanga: Homa Bay governor sued for dismissing minister allied to deputy
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga and her deputy Oyugi Magwanga.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has been drawn into a legal battle after dismissing one of her Cabinet members following what analysts saw as raging political differences.
The governor has been sued over the dismissal of Dr Peter Ogola, who served as the Executive Committee Member for Lands, Housing and Physical Planning.
The case was filed at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu.
Dr Ogola was fired on December 1, 2025, through a letter signed by the governor.
His dismissal came after the Kasipul parliamentary by-election, during which the governor felt that some officials did not support her as she campaigned for ODM candidate Boyd Were.
While some Cabinet members and County Assembly Speaker Polycarp Okombo joined the ODM chairperson in vote hunting, other county officials remained in their offices.
In the by-election, embattled Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga openly defied the governor and drummed up support for Philip Aroko, who was vying as an independent candidate.
Ms Wanga later announced that she would take action against those who defied her before relieving Mr Magwanga of his duties as Agriculture Executive and sending home Dr Ogola.
As the deputy governor continues to strategise on his next move, Dr Ogola moved to court in an attempt to save his career.
His lawyer, Clifford Obiero, told the court in an affidavit that his client was not given a fair hearing.
“The respondents issued an executive order dated December 1, 2025, and a letter dated December 2, 2025, which was delivered to him on December 21, 2025, demanding the petitioner’s immediate handing over of office without notice, reasons or a hearing, in blatant violation of the Constitution,” he wrote.
Ms Wanga is listed as the first respondent in the case, with the county government and County Secretary Prof Bernard Muok listed as the second and third respondents, respectively.
Also Read: ‘I’ve had enough’: Homa Bay Deputy Governor breaks silence on political rift with Governor Wanga
The court was also told that Dr Ogola has a family to support and that his dismissal would adversely affect them.
“Any interruption of salary or removal from office will cause immediate hardship, indignity, suffering and destabilisation of the petitioner’s family, consequences which cannot be undone by damages or compensation at a later stage,” the lawyer wrote.
In his affidavit, Dr Ogola said that since his appointment, he had served the county government diligently, faithfully and competently.
He said no disciplinary proceedings, performance concerns, integrity issues or adverse audit findings had ever been raised against him.
He added that he was earning Sh413,079 per month, which was his only source of income.
According to Dr Ogola, he first came across an executive order from the governor on social media on December 22, before being served with a letter dated December 2, 2025, demanding that he immediately hand over his office and functions, despite the letter having been authored more than three weeks earlier.
“The executive order and letter were issued without any prior notice to me. They were issued without assigning any reasons and without affording me an opportunity to be heard,” he said.
Dr Ogola added: “The timing and manner of service, on the eve of Christmas, were clearly calculated to ambush me, deny me access to justice and frustrate any timely legal recourse.”
Following his dismissal, Ms Wanga appointed Joseph Mitito as the Executive Committee Member for Lands and Housing.
The appointee is awaiting vetting by the County Assembly.
Dr Ogola has asked the court to direct the county government to halt his removal from office.
He also wants the court to order the county government to continue paying his salary.
Justice Nzioki wa Makau certified the matter as urgent and directed the respondents not to remove Dr Ogola from office.
The case has been set for hearing on January 19, 2026.
