Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has defended the state of roads in the county, saying the poor condition of key roads reflects decades of underinvestment in infrastructure.
She attributed the infrastructure deficit to decades of historical marginalisation, arguing that successive administrations since independence had failed to adequately address the needs of regions such as Homa Bay.
In a statement, Wanga said the condition of Mbita-Sindo-Kiabuya-Sori Road was a manifestation of the challenges residents have endured for decades and should not be used to ridicule the county.
“The dust on the Mbita-Sindo-Kiabuya-Sori corridor tells a story. But it is not the story of a people who have failed. It is the story of a region that has waited far too long for the infrastructure required to unlock its potential,” Wanga said.
“What was billed as a tour of Homa Bay by Linda Mwananchi ended up doing something its organisers did not intend: it highlighted the very tribulations our community has been fighting to overcome,” she added.
Wanga explained that the 74-kilometre road was first awarded in 2016 under the administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta but stalled after only seven kilometres had been completed due to lack of allocated funds.
She added that the project was re-awarded in 2020 but again recorded limited progress.
According to Wanga, 28 kilometres of the road have been tarmacked over the past two years, with construction works still ongoing.
“A 74km trunk road is not something that devolution or CDF can address,” she said.
Wanga further linked Homa Bay’s infrastructure challenges to the county’s political history, citing the deaths and political exclusion of former leaders Tom Mboya and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
“We are not embarrassed by that history. If images of rutted roads earned Homa Bay comparisons to conflict zones, we take that as a badge of honour to our marginalisation and resilience, not an insult requiring our silence,” Wanga said.
