Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi . [Courtesy]
Kenyans have turned on Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi after he blamed his successor, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, for the poor state of roads exposed during Sunday's chaotic Linda Mwananchi tour of Homa Bay County.
The tour, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other opposition figures, was disrupted after goons barricaded main roads leading to rally venues, forcing the convoy onto rough, dusty routes.
The images, streamed live, reopened a debate about development in Homa Bay County and the wider Luo Nyanza region, with critics tying the complaint to 16 years of devolution under the 2010 constitution.
Defenders of the Kenya Kwanza administration had earlier warned the Linda Mwananchi team against using infrastructure built under President William Ruto, arguing the region had been transformed since its leaders began working with the government under the broad-based arrangement.
"Ironically, the area MP who has abdicated his duties is their secretary general. What an own goal!" Mbadi said, sharing a photo of one of the dusty roads in Suba South.
Omondi, who was elected in 2022 and is in his fourth year in Parliament, serves as secretary general of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition.
Mbadi represented the larger Gwassi constituency and later Suba South, after it was split into Suba South and Suba North, for 15 years as an elected MP and a further two years as a nominated MP, before becoming Treasury Cabinet Secretary.