Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga. [File, Standard]
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has defended the state of roads in the county, saying the poor infrastructure exposed during the Linda Mwananchi tour over the weekend is evidence of decades of marginalisation.
In a statement, Wanga pointed to the condition of the Mbita-Sindo-Kiabuya-Sori corridor, saying the dusty road is a reflection of a wider infrastructure deficit that has affected the region for decades.
“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,” she said.
Wanga said Homa Bay’s infrastructure challenges stretch back to independence, arguing that the county is among several regions that have experienced what she described as structural economic marginalisation.
She cited parts of Siaya, Nyatike, Turkana, Maasailand, Western Kenya and the Coast as other regions that, she said, have waited for decades for a fair share of national resources.
“These regions have experienced acute economic marginalisation reflected in an infrastructure deficit far greater than what their population, resources and potential should have allowed,” Wanga said.
The governor said the condition of the roads should not be blamed on one administration, arguing that their neglect has spanned successive governments since independence.