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.
In its statement, the committee detailed the specific breaches committed, noting that both candidates had violated several key provisions of the Electoral Code of Conduct.
"Upon keenly listening to the parties and considering all the facts and law, it is the committee's finding that the two candidates in this matter are responsible for the violence witnessed in Kasipul constituency.
"Our finding as the committee therefore is that in the context of both oral and written submissions of the parties, the committee finds that both candidates are in violations of Paragraph 6 (q), (b), (c), (e), (i), (k), (m), and (n) of the electoral code of conduct," the committee said.
Before issuing penalties, the committee reminded the candidates that order and fairness in campaigns depend on adherence to the rules and schedules they commit to.
It cautioned both men to strictly follow the joint campaign timetable agreed upon in early October.
"The committee hereby orders that a stern and formal warning be and is hereby issued to Philip Aroko and Boyd Were Ong'ondo, to respect and obey IEBC's harmonized campaign schedule as agreed upon by all candidates on 10 October 2025 without any deviation whatsoever," the committee added.
The panel then announced the fines, each amounting to Ksh1 million, payable within two days of the ruling.
"Philip Aroko, for the violation, is hereby condemned to pay a fine of Ksh1 million to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission within 48 hours of these orders.
"Boyd Were Ong'ondo is condemned similarly for the violation to pay a fine of Ksh1 million to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission within 48 hours of these orders," the committee directed.
The committee warned that any repeat offences would attract more severe consequences, including potential disqualification from the upcoming by-election.
"A most stern warning be and is hereby issued to both candidates, that should any violation of the letter of the court be repeated by any of them, this committee will consider all penalties under the law, including their disqualification from participating in the November 2017 elections altogether," the committee further said.
