Chaos in Homa Bay as Suspected Wanga-Allied Goons Attack Orengo Convoy

Political tensions in Homa Bay County escalated on Friday after a group of alleged goons linked to Homa Bay Governor and ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga violently attacked the convoy of Siaya Governor James Orengo during a political tour in Suba North and Suba South constituencies.

Orengo, accompanied by leaders allied to the Linda Mwananchi movement, had toured Mbita, Rusinga Island, and Sindo to popularise their political agenda ahead of the 2027 General Election when chaos erupted moments after their ferry docked at Mbita.

According to leaders present during the incident, an organised group descended on Orengo’s motorcade, smashing the windscreen of his vehicle and damaging several other cars in the convoy in what appeared to be a coordinated political attack.

Supporters accompanying the Siaya Governor reportedly fought back, overpowering some of the attackers in Mbita Town and parts of Rusinga Island before the meeting proceeded under heightened tension.

However, the violence allegedly intensified as the convoy moved towards Sindo in Suba South, with politicians allied to the Linda Mwananchi faction coming under direct attack from suspected hired gangs.

Among those reportedly injured was political activist Civilizer Aoran, alongside several supporters who sustained injuries during the clashes. The injured were rushed to Tranquil Hospital in Homa Bay for treatment.

The dramatic scenes exposed the growing political hostility inside ODM following the death of veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose absence has triggered an intense power struggle over the future direction of the party.

At the centre of the fallout is a widening disagreement between Governor Wanga and Governor Orengo over succession politics and ODM’s relationship with President William Ruto’s administration.

While a section of ODM leaders aligned to Wanga are believed to support closer cooperation with the national government, Orengo and the Linda Mwananchi faction have positioned themselves as defenders of the party’s traditional opposition identity.

Friday’s violence has now raised fears that the escalating rivalry could plunge the region into deeper political instability ahead of the 2027 elections.

Critics have accused senior ODM leaders of fuelling intolerance and using hired gangs to silence dissenting voices within the party, warning that the growing hostility risks destroying the democratic values ODM once claimed to champion.

Neither Governor Wanga nor her office had officially responded to the allegations by the time of publication.