Governor of Homa Bay County, Kenya
Her Excellency Gladys Wanga is the Governor of Homa Bay County, Kenya. In 2003, Ms. Wanga made history as the first woman Secretary-General of the Student’s Union at Kenyatta University, where she pursued her BSc and MSc in Health Management. She later served as a project manager for ten years at the Trust for African Rock Art and Liverpool VCT Health.
In 2013, Ms. Wanga became the first woman representative for Homa Bay County and was re-elected unopposed in 2017. She also served as a commissioner in the Parliamentary Service Commission, becoming the first woman commissioner from the Nyanza Region. Additionally, she became the Orange Democratic Movement Party’s Chairperson for Homa Bay County, a fiercely competitive position that no woman had previously vied for.
In 2020, Ms. Wanga scored another first when she was appointed Chair of the Finance and National Planning Committee of the Kenya National Assembly, becoming the first woman to hold the position in Kenya. Her leadership and contribution to national development have been exemplary.
In August 2022, Ms. Wanga made history yet again when she contested and was elected as the first Woman Governor of Homa Bay County, a significant milestone in her political career.
Ms. Wanga credits her passion for politics to her father, who took her on his campaign trails from a young age. She attended Kisumu Girls’ High School, where she served as the head girl and was suspended for advocating for social justice for fellow students. In 2005, she married George Wanga, and they have two children.
She has been an active member of the Orange Democratic Movement Party since her graduation from Kenyatta University. In 2017, she headed the Nyanza Presidential Campaign team for the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, and in 2018 she was appointed Secretary to the ODM Central Management Committee. Ms. Wanga is also among the founding members of the Embrace Kenya movement, which popularized the Building Bridges Initiative and the Handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and the People’s President Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga. She was also a lead campaigner for Azimio in 2022.