The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cleared Danish Onyango for appointment as Homa Bay County’s Deputy Governor, ending months of legal uncertainty that had left the county without a deputy since February.
In a gazette notice dated Friday, August 7, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon declared that Onyango meets the constitutional and statutory requirements for the position, following a High Court ruling delivered on July 30 that dismissed a petition challenging his nomination.
“The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission declares that the person listed in the Schedule hereunder meets the qualifications and requirements of the Constitution and the Elections Act, 2011 to be appointed as the Deputy County Governor Homa Bay County,” the notice read.
Onyango’s nomination followed the resignation of former Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga, who cited irreconcilable differences with Governor Gladys Wanga before stepping down in February. Wanga nominated Onyango, then serving as County Executive Committee Member for Roads and Public Works, on March 17.
“I hereby nominate Mr Danish Otieno Onyango to serve as the Deputy Governor of Homa Bay County, subject to approval by the County Assembly,” Wanga said at the time.
Before the county assembly could vet him, Michael Kojo Otieno and Evance Otieno Oloo filed a petition in the Homa Bay High Court seeking to block the process. The petitioners argued that the nomination violated the constitutional two-thirds gender rule and breached the Public Appointments (County Assemblies Approval) Act, 2017. Their case temporarily halted the vetting process, prolonging the vacancy in the deputy governor’s office.
Justice Nzioki Makau dismissed the petition, ruling that the petitioners had failed to establish any constitutional or statutory violation. While acknowledging the significance of gender representation, the court held that the requirement could not be interpreted in isolation from the broader legal framework governing county appointments.
With the gazette notice now in place, Homa Bay County can proceed with Onyango’s swearing-in, formally closing a leadership gap that persisted for nearly six months. The clearance restores full leadership to the county executive as it continues implementing development programmes under Governor Wanga’s administration.
The case adds to a growing list of legal disputes over deputy governor appointments across the country, underscoring the increasing role courts continue to play in resolving disagreements within county leadership structures ahead of the 2027 General Election.
