Gladys Wanga Defends Homa Bay After ‘Yemen’ Remark Over Poor Roads

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga on Sunday, August 16, strongly defended the county’s development record following criticism over poor roads.

Speaking during a funds drive at Wikondiek SDA Church in Karachuonyo, Homa Bay County, Wanga blamed the poor state of roads in sections of the county on marginalisation, which she attributed to past regimes. 

According to the governor, Homa Bay had been marginalised partly because its residents had historically taken part in the struggle for national reforms, including the push for a new Constitution, devolution and human rights.

“They are laughing at us saying Homa Bay looks like Yemen, because of bad roads. They don’t understand our pain because all these years we’ve been voting but no development has come to this region because we decided to fight for the country, to bring new constitution, devolution and human rights,” Wanga stated.

Governor Wanga argued that critics did not understand the frustrations of residents who, despite voting for successive governments, had seen limited development in some parts of the county.

The comparison of Homa Bay to countries like Yemen followed disruptions on August 16, when rival youth groups barricaded several major roads across the county with stones, burning tyres and bonfires, disrupting movement in parts of Homa Bay.

Key routes such as the Homa Bay-Rongo Road, Nyandiwa, Sindo, Oyugis near Kendu Junction, and the Homa Bay Town CBD all bore the brunt of the disruption.

With national highways rendered impassable, the Linda Mwananchi convoy was forced to snake through alternative routes to ensure continuity of the tour. 

It was against this chaotic backdrop that mockery began trending online, with critics likening Homa Bay’s crumbling infrastructure to a war-torn nation, prompting Wanga to respond directly and defend her people.

Amid the criticism, Wanga noted that things are changing as Homa Bay is now part of the broad-based government arrangement between the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration.

She revealed that the very road mocked online falls under the Lake Victoria Ring Road project, which is already earmarked for tarmacking.

“But because we’re in broad based govt, that road they are talking about is under the lake Victoria Ring road and will be tarmac,” Governor Wanga stated.

In one of her recent State of the County Addresses earlier this year, Governor Wanga noted that her administration had opened 736 kilometres of new roads, carried out periodic maintenance on 538 kilometres of existing roads and rehabilitated 116 kilometres of targeted access roads linking schools, health facilities, markets and beaches.

Millie Odhiambo Reacts

At the same time, Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo also criticised the description of some roads used as alternative routes during the Linda Mwananchi rally as feeder roads, arguing that they are actually key roads in Homa Bay County. She said most roads in Suba North and South remain in poor condition due to years of neglect and called for accelerated development.

“What you see, [ other than Homabay to Mbita and Rusinga Ring Road are the main roads]. President Kibaki and PM Raila tarmacked Homabay town to Mbita town. President Uhuru built the Mbita bridge,” the lawmaker said.

Meanwhile, President William Ruto’s administration seeks to address development concerns in Nyanza. The government has committed more than Ksh220 billion to Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya and Kisumu counties, alongside Ksh9.5 billion for blue economy projects around Lake Victoria.