Governor Wanga nominates new Deputy Governor, reshuffles County cabinet
Governor Wanga nominates new Deputy Governor, reshuffles County cabinet
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga nominated Danish Otieno Onyango as the new Deputy Governor following a vacancy created by the resignation of the previous office holder.
In an Executive Order issued on March 16, 2026, Wanga said the nomination is in line with provisions of the County Governments Act and is subject to approval by the Homa Bay County Assembly.
Onyango, a seasoned public servant, has been serving as the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Roads and Public Works. He previously rose through the ranks in national government to the position of Undersecretary in the State Department of Infrastructure.
The governor praised his track record, citing major infrastructure gains under his leadership, including opening 736 kilometres of new roads in the 2024/25 financial year, maintenance of 538 kilometres of existing roads and rehabilitation of 116 kilometres of access roads.
She also credited him with spearheading key development projects such as Kshs. 1.4 billion KISIP II initiatives and supporting major national and county events hosted in Homa Bay.
Onyango will retain his Roads and Public Works docket even as he assumes the Deputy Governor role, if approved.
New Cabinet Nominations
In a broader cabinet reorganisation aimed at enhancing service delivery, Governor Wanga announced two new nominations.
Elijah Obiny Dede (Ndhiwa Constituency) was nominated as CECM for Trade, Industry, Tourism, Marketing and Co-operative Development.
He previously served as Chief Officer in the same department and is credited with expanding cooperative membership and assets significantly.
Isaac Victor Ongiri (Kasipul Constituency) has been nominated as CECM for Governance, Administration, Communication and Devolution.
Ongiri has been serving as Chief Officer and brings prior experience from county governments in Kisii and Makueni.
Cabinet Reassignment
Dr. Joash Aloo was reassigned to head the Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Development docket.
He previously served in Trade and Water portfolios.
Governor Wanga expressed confidence that the changes will strengthen governance and accelerate development, particularly in agriculture value chains such as cotton, sugar, maize, rice, and edible oils.
The governor directed the County Secretary to coordinate smooth handover processes. All nominations will be forwarded to the County Assembly for vetting and approval, in accordance with the law.
Wanga affirmed that all nominees meet the integrity standards set out in Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya.