Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga’s political trajectory continues to shock her peers.
She has mastered the art of firsts; from the first Homa Bay Woman representative, to the first female Governor in Nyanza, and now the first female ODM Party Chairperson.
The first born in a family of seven has steadily rose through the leadership ranks dating back to her time as a Head Girl at Kisumu Girls High school, to hit the first female Secretary-General of the Student’s Union at Kenyatta University (2003).
Gladys Atieno Nyasuna Wanga’s meteoric rise to the top echelons of ODM has produced a surprise political earthquake whose tremors will be hard-felt within its circles, and beyond Kenya’s political spectrum.
Nyar Wang’aya (the girl from Wang’aya) replaced John Mbadi, the new National Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary (CS) who had held the position since 2011.
Dad’s blessing
According to the Homa Bay County Governor’s website; Wanga joined the political fray by following in the footsteps of her father, John Nyasuna who was a long-serving councilor and chairperson in the now-defunct Kisumu County Council.
“He would always tag her along on his campaign trails from a young age. Her mother Grace Olum is a disciplinarian and hardworking business lady,’’ the statement reads in part.
In 2015, she was voted the first ODM Chairperson for Homa Bay and the first woman Chair of the Finance and National Planning Committee of Kenya National Assembly.
Wanga proved her mettle to become the first female to clinch the coveted Homa Bay Governors seat and the larger Western region.
Her political star began to shine more with the recent political rapprochement between Raila Odinga and President Ruto after the 2022-23 presidential elections debacle. Homa Bay County remains the most visited by President William Ruto in the Nyanza region where he has launched several development projects.
Governor Wanga will go into the annals of Kenya’s political parties as one of a few women who rose to the driving seat alongside Charity Kaluki Ngilu (Social Democratic Party (SDP), Martha Karua (Narc-Kenya) among others.
Her political stars have kept on rising despite pocketed murmurs from her political nemesis on her development records in Homa Bay County.
Governor Wanga was privileged to be among the high-powered delegation that accompanied President Ruto on his latest state visit to the US.
Will she draw another first as Kenya’s first female President or Deputy? Or will she become the first female Luo kingpin?
