Residents of Bungoma County are set to roll out the red carpet for former Governor Hon. Wycliffe Wafula Wangamati with a grand homecoming ceremony this Friday, September 19, at the bustling Bungoma Bus Park.
The event, kicking off at 2:00 p.m., promises to draw massive crowds, with organizers warning of significant traffic disruptions in the town center as supporters flock to welcome their political hero back to the heart of the county.
Wangamati, who served as Bungoma’s governor from 2017 to 2022 under the Ford Kenya banner, personally confirmed the gathering via a post on his official Facebook page, “Hon Wycliffe Wafula Wangamati.”
“Join me this Friday, 19th, at 2:00 PM in Bungoma Town, Bungoma Bus Park, as I engage with residents on key issues affecting our people. Viva!” He wrote. The post has already sparked a wave of excitement online, with local social media buzzing about the “peaceful yet powerful” reunion.
This vibrant homecoming comes hot on the heels of Wangamati’s dramatic detention by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on September 1, 2025, when he presented himself at the agency’s Nairobi headquarters in response to a summons issued days earlier.
Alongside several family members and associates, Wangamati faces charges of embezzling over KSh 70 million in public funds during his gubernatorial tenure, allegedly funneled through linked companies. He was arraigned in court the following day, September 2, and released on bail, but not before spending a tense night in custody.
Undeterred, Wangamati has framed the ordeal as a politically motivated witch hunt during a fiery live interview on a popular vernacular radio station last week. Pointing fingers squarely at National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula—also the leader of Ford Kenya—Wangamati accused the powerful politician of orchestrating his downfall to clear the path for his own allies in the 2027 elections.
“This is pure witchcraft from Wetang’ula,” Wangamati declared, alleging a pattern of sabotage that includes his abrupt dismissal from a recent state appointment and the mysterious demolition of his family’s building at Kanduyi Stadium.
The feud has deepened local political fault lines, with Wangamati’s loyalists vowing to rally behind him as he eyes a gubernatorial comeback.
“There’s no way Wetang’ula can decide who becomes the next governor,” one ardent supporter told reporters, echoing sentiments rippling through Bungoma’s markets and matatu stages. Wangamati didn’t hold back on Wetang’ula’s brother, Tim Wetang’ula, who recently entered the race rebranding himself as Tim Wanyonyi to distance from the family name.
“Tim claims we should call him Tim Wanyonyi and not Wetang’ula. But however much he distances himself from his brother, all his campaign faces are the bark-dogs of Wetang’ula,” Wangamati quipped during the radio spot.
Supporters see Friday’s rally as more than a welcome—it’s a bold reassertion of Wangamati’s enduring clout in Bungoma politics. Amid ongoing court battles designed, in his view, to intimidate him out of the 2027 race, the former governor is expected to use the platform to rally the faithful, address pressing county issues like infrastructure and youth empowerment, and reaffirm his commitment to the ballot.
As Bungoma braces for the influx, traffic authorities have urged motorists to plan alternate routes, while police assure the event will proceed peacefully under tight security. For Wangamati, it’s a homecoming laced with defiance: a chance to transform legal woes into political fuel, reminding voters that in the rough-and-tumble world of Kenyan county politics, resilience often trumps the odds.
With the 2027 polls looming, all eyes will be on the Bus Park this Friday—where echoes of “Wangamati Kobola” may just signal the opening salvo in Bungoma’s next chapter.