NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 17 – Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has defended the county’s development record following public attention to the poor state of roads in parts of Suba South, saying the dilapidated infrastructure is a reflection of decades of historical marginalisation rather than a failure by the devolved government.

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Wanga said images of dusty and rutted roads along the Mbita–Sindo–Kiabuya–Sori corridor during a recent tour by Linda Mwananchi had inadvertently drawn attention to a problem that residents have endured for generations.

In a statement , the governor said the condition of the roads should not be treated as a source of ridicule but as evidence of the infrastructure deficit that has constrained economic growth in the region.

“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 You Need to Know

She argued that the poor roads affect virtually every aspect of life for communities along the corridor, including access to markets, health and other public services, the cost of transporting goods and the ability of businesses to expand.

Wanga said Homa Bay’s infrastructure challenges should also be viewed against the wider history of development inequalities in Kenya, arguing that several regions have experienced decades of underinvestment despite their population, resources and economic potential.

She cited areas stretching from Siaya and Nyatike to Turkana, Maasailand, Western Kenya and the Coast as examples of regions that, in her view, have historically received a disproportionately small share of national infrastructure investment.

The governor said the responsibility for the infrastructure deficit cannot be attributed to one administration, noting that the problem spans successive governments since independence.

She singled out the Mbita road as an example of how infrastructure projects have remained incomplete for years.

According to Wanga, the 74-kilometre road was initially awarded in 2016 during the administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta but stalled after only seven kilometres had been completed because of funding constraints.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya