Homa Bay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga has triggered fresh political speculation after sharing a new year message whose poster design prominently featured the yellow colour branding of the ruling UDA party.
In the message posted on his Facebook page to usher in 2026, Magwanga wished Kenyans peace, joy and God’s blessings. But it was the branding rather than the text that lit up local political chatter, with residents and observers debating whether the colour choice was simply aesthetic or an early signal of political intent.
Several commenters on the post questioned if the design amounted to a subtle declaration that Mr. Magwanga could be warming up to a UDA bid for the Homa Bay governorship in 2027.
Political allies and insiders say the conversation is not new.
Politicko Daily has learned from individuals familiar with the matter (who asked not to be named because they are not authorised to speak publicly)that Magwanga has been discussed within some circles as a potential challenger to Governor Wanga, with UDA being floated as a possible vehicle for that bid.
They say that Magwanga going for the top seat is no longer a matter of if, but when he launches his bid and on which ticket.
Magwanga - Omollo Alliance
Since 2023, FCPA Hesborn Omollo, who is the elder brother of Interior PS Raymond Omollo had been engaged in community functions that many interpreted as laying groundwork for his 2027 bid.
Ahead of the Homa Bay Madaraka day celebrations, he was prevailed upon to cool his efforts amid shifting national politics and the reality of the broad-based government arrangement after several complaints of sabotage from the ODM party officials in the county.
This did not go well with the Omollo camp who deployed another strategy to further their agenda of containing Governor Wanga.
The energies that has been concentrated on the Hesborn bid have since been shifted towards Magwanga, including poaching Wanga allies to join his team. Former Speaker Julius Gaya, Kanyaluo MCA Jeff Ongoro among many other top Wanga officials including Ministers, Chief Officers and other senior ranks of her government have been approached to support the Omollo backed Magwanga bid.
Sources close to both camps confided in this publication that Magwanga was given a condition to vie on a UDA ticket, if they were to sustain the relationship and the support. Magwanga had however remained lackadaisical to those demands, hoping to instead fight from within the ODM party.
This cold footed approach had prompted the Omollo faction to approach former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, who is a UDA member, to take another stab at the seat. This arrangement looks juicy as it would mean that Hesborn Omollo becomes the running mate and takes over after Kidero's single term.
Is it this new move that has prompted Magwanga to send signals that he is now ready to vie on a UDA ticket, will it work or it is too little too late for him?
Either way, the yellow poster has intensified a question that will likely grow louder as 2027 approaches: is Oyugi Magwanga positioning himself for a UDA-backed run to unseat Governor Wanga, or was the colour simply a coincidence?
Only time will tell.