I forgive you, Wanga tells Orengo

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga in Suba North on May 14, 2026. [James Omoro, Standard]

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has called on Siaya Governor James Orengo to embrace respect, dignity and reflection in public discourse following remarks she said left her humiliated.

In the letter shared on her social media and addressed “Dear Governor Orengo (My Father),” Wanga wrote in her personal capacity, distancing herself from her official roles as governor and chair person of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

She described herself as “Gladys: daughter, mother, wife, and a woman navigating leadership in spaces that often demand strength while offering little grace.”

Wanga said she had initially chosen silence after the remarks attributed to Orengo but later felt compelled to respond after reflecting on the implications.

“I chose silence at first, because I have always believed that not every disagreement demands public contest,” she wrote, adding that some moments require reflection because of “what they represent.”

The Homa Bay governor praised Orengo as a veteran politician and elder statesman whom many younger leaders look up to.

“You have represented courage, conviction, and the possibility of principled leadership,” she stated, noting that she had always regarded him as a an elder and father figure in public life.

However, Wanga said the comments went beyond ordinary political criticism and carried deeper emotional weight.

“That is perhaps why they hurt,” she wrote. “Not because political criticism is unfamiliar to me… but because certain expressions carry weight beyond politics.”

She linked her concerns to the broader challenges women continue to face in leadership spaces, arguing that language used by senior leaders can reinforce discrimination and exclusion.

“When remarks directed at a woman carry undertones that diminish, ridicule, or reduce her because of her gender… they become an echo familiar to millions of women and girls,” Wanga said.

She added that many women are often pressured to “speak more softly, lead smaller, occupy less space, or defer, not because they are wrong, but because they are women.”

Despite expressing disappointment, Wanga maintained a conciliatory tone, insisting thst her letter was not intended to provoke confrontation or demand a public apology.

“I do not write this to seek an apology through public pressure,” she said.

“I write in the hope that moments such as these can remind us all… that strength and dignity are never diminished by kindness.”

Wanga also cautioned against internal divisions within ODM and the wider political leadership in the region, urging leaders to focus on unity and constructive engagement.

Referring to ongoing discussions surrounding succession politics linked to ODM Raila Odinga, she said the region should prioritize “leadership that inspires hope, not needless turf wars.”