Homabay Governor Gladys Atieno Wanga has hit out at Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna following his comments about the sorry state of roads in Homabay.
Sifuna shared a now viral photo of him, covered in dust after making his way through a rough road enroute to Suba South to address a political rally.
“Bwana walisema huku Homabay ndio kuna shiny things kumbe ni ukora tu…dust is constant.” The Linda mwananchi luminary said on social media.
Social media lit up throughout yesterday with Kenyans comparing the region to the middle East while users questioned the track record of Governor Wanga and local leaders.
In a quick rejoinder Governor Wanga has pointed out that the dusty roads are a result of neglect of the region by successive regimes saying the state of roads in the area “is not a joke.”
She added that the poor state of roads in Suba and the greater Nyanza region is not a sign of the failure of local leaders but a result of marginalization.
“For the people who live along these roads, however, their condition is no joke; it is a daily reality that shapes access to markets and services.”
In her defence; Wanga has said the large stretches of roads cannot be handled by devolved governments and are under the national government.
She has however clarified that despite funds being allocate, construction works stalled leaving residents in a precarious state.
“The Mbita road itself tells that story in miniature: first awarded in 2016 under the Uhuru Kenyatta government to Put Sarajevo, it stalled for lack of allocated funds, with only 7km of its 74km completed. It was re-awarded in 2020 and again saw little progress. In the last two years, 28km have so far been tarmacked.” she said.
The governor said the county was not ashamed of its history of marginalisation and would not allow the condition of its roads to become a source of ridicule.
