- Homa Bay deputy governor Joseph Magwanga endorsed independent candidate Philip Aroko, strengthening the Kasipul by-election campaign
- Magwanga criticized outside interference in local politics, urging residents to elect leaders without influence from outsiders
- He attributed past unrest in Kasipul to repetitive leadership patterns, indirectly targeting ODM’s Boyd Were
- The deputy governor emphasized accountability, calling for votes to be cast, protected, counted, and announced transparently
Kasipul by-election campaigns have intensified after Homa Bay deputy governor Joseph Magwanga entered the debate, announcing his support for independent candidate Philip Aroko.
Source: UGC
His move comes just six days before the state heads to the polls on Thursday, November 27.
The changes led to renewed political dialogue in a race that was widely seen as a test of ODM’s strength in an area the party has ruled for years.
Did Magwanga support Aroko’s ambition?
Magwanga re-emerged after several weeks away from public affairs, returning to office in recent days as by-election campaigns intensified.
His recent appearance put him in direct conflict with ODM’s Boyd Were, the party’s choice to replace the late Ong’ondo Were, who served as Member of Parliament for Kasipul.
During a meeting with residents on Friday, November 21, Magwanga said the people of Kasipul would decide their future without influence from leaders outside the state.
His message focused on what he described as increasing interference from political actors who do not understand internal dynamics.
He told the residents that the province has been able to make its own decisions, warning that external influence often fuels tension, which destroys the stability of the region.
“I have always told you that the people of Kasipul have the power to choose their own leaders. Outsiders will increase the chaos,” Magwanga said.
His remarks drew applause from the crowd, many of whom shook their heads as he spoke of the earlier chaos.
Magwanga used the common saying, a small snake is a snake, to indicate that certain leadership systems repeat many generations.
Although he did not name names, the message was directed at the ODM candidate, linking the statement to previous incidents of violence during the late Ong’ondo’s time in office.
He recalled several times when political activities in Kasipul turned chaotic, and told the residents that they had been through that experience long enough.
What options did Magwanga give the residents of Kasipul?
The political journey of the deputy governor has had its limitations as he had ambitions for the Homa Bay governor seat in 2022 before resigning.
Later he agreed to run as a deputy Gladys Wanga under the ODM ticket, a decision that helped strengthen the party’s support in the county.
Source: Facebook
He called for a process that protects every vote from the moment it is cast to the final announcement.
Magwanga told the meeting that no vote should be mishandled, stressing that every vote must be counted and declared transparently so that the winner holds power without controversy.
“Our votes must be cast, protected, counted, and announced openly,” Magwanga confirmed.
His appeal focused on peace, asking residents to choose a candidate whose leadership would not bring back chaos.
Why did UDA Kasipul officials approve Aroko?
The development comes a few hours after the officials of UDA of the area to publicly endorse Aroko, an independent candidate, instead of the elected ODM candidate.
UDA chairman Kasipul Arthur Onyango Aoko said the party was not satisfied with the way ODM conducted its selection.
He claimed the process was not fair and transparent, saying that if ODM had conducted a clean primary election, UDA would have supported their candidate, but instead they decided to support Aroko.
Additional reporting by Florence Owiti, TUKO.co.ke reporter
Read ENGLISH VERSION
Do you have an exciting story that you would like us to publish? Please contact us via news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
