POLITICS
Governor Gladys Wanga’s deputy endorses Independent Candidate in Kasipul By-Election
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga’s deputy, Oyugi Magwanga, has stirred fresh political debate in Kasipul after endorsing independent candidate Philip Aroko ahead of the constituency’s parliamentary by-election.
The decision announced on Friday, November 21, marks a significant shift from the ODM Party’s official candidate, Boyd Were Ong’ondo.
Magwanga’s move has been described by some residents as a long-overdue stance influenced by concerns over the party’s nomination process.
Supporters argue that his decision is rooted in a belief that the nomination was mishandled, leaving him with no option but to back a candidate he considers more suitable for the constituency.
One supporter said Magwanga’s choice was the right one and insisted that the ODM Party failed him during the nomination exercise.
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"Magwanga has made the best choice that he delayed making because he has to make a choice on who is the best candidate for Kasipul. He has not betrayed the ODM Party; it is the ODM Party that betrayed Magwanga because when we were going for the nomination of the ODM candidate, they decided to side-step Magwanga and rig the nomination in favour of the candidate that Magwanga did not support.
"If there were a free and fair election, I'm very certain that Magwanga would have supported that candidate. Magwanga is more ODM than Gladys Wanga. I must also tell you that the candidate that Magwanga has chosen to support now is a member of the broad-based government," he said.
Another resident backed Magwanga’s freedom to support any candidate he believes is best suited for the constituency, arguing that voters should prioritise leadership over party affiliation.
"The decision that Magwanga has taken, I think, is a good decision. Everyone has a right to support a candidate he or she thinks is good; I can support him (Aroko) too. We are not supposed to be told which candidate to support. We are looking for good leadership, we are not looking for a party," she said.
Notably, this comes days after Aroko and Were were each fined Ksh1 million by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) after being found responsible for violence that broke out during campaigns ahead of the constituency’s by-election.
The ruling, issued on Wednesday, November 19, followed a hearing before the IEBC Electoral Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee, which examined submissions from both candidates before delivering its verdict.
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