Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has abruptly removed a strongly worded statement from her social media platforms that criticized President William Ruto’s administration over rising cases of extrajudicial killings and police brutality.
The deletion, which occurred late Wednesday, has sparked speculation after sources claimed Wanga was summoned by a high-ranking official in the government.
In her original statement, posted on June 18, 2025, Wanga, who chairs the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), condemned the government’s failure to curb police brutality, citing the March 2025 agreement between ODM and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The agreement, signed in the presence of President Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga, explicitly prohibited extrajudicial killings.
“Our support for the broad-based government does not extend to extrajudicial killings and police brutality,” Wanga had stated, naming victims such as Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody, and Philip Oketch, shot during protests in Nairobi.
She demanded accountability from the National Police Service and called for perpetrators to face justice.
Hours after the post gained traction, it was removed, prompting questions about external pressure. Sources close to the governor, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that Wanga was summoned by a senior government figure, described as “one from above”, who urged her to retract the statement to preserve the delicate ODM-UDA partnership.
The move has drawn mixed reactions. Supporters of Wanga argue she was coerced into silencing her criticism to protect political alliances, while critics accuse her of yielding to pressure, undermining her commitment to human rights.
“Governor Wanga’s statement was bold and necessary. Its deletion raises serious questions about freedom of speech and accountability,” said human rights activist John Omondi in Homa Bay.
Conversely, a section of UDA supporters on social media praised the retraction, viewing it as a step toward maintaining unity in the broad-based government.
Her move comes after her husband was sacked by President William Ruto, citing incompetence. George Wanga was replaced by Adan Haji as EPRA chair for a period of 3 years.
