The dusty roads of Suba South have become the unlikely battleground for a fierce political showdown that has exposed years of frustration among residents of Homa Bay County. What began as a routine tour by Deputy President Linda Mwananchi has now sparked an intense debate about development, accountability, and the future of the region.
At the centre of the storm is former Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, who served as Member of Parliament for the larger Gwassi constituency for five years and later represented Suba South for an additional ten years before his elevation to the national government.
The entry of his successor, Caroli Omon, as Cabinet Secretary has only intensified the scrutiny on what many are calling Mbadi's legacy of underutilization of public resources.
The trouble started when the Linda Mwananchi team's tour of Homa Bay County was livestreamed across various platforms, exposing the dire state of roads in several areas. However, what was meant to be a simple documentation of the region's challenges has turned into a referendum on Mbadi's tenure as the area's elected representative.
Social media erupted with questions from residents who could not understand how one man could represent the constituency for fifteen years without addressing the fundamental issue of infrastructure.
Mark Malanda was direct in his interrogation: "I thought you were the MP for 15 years, what did you do in those years?" The question captured the sentiment of thousands who felt abandoned by their elected leader.
The criticism did not stop there. Other Kenyans online questioned how Mbadi could blame his successor for poor roads when he had over two decades combined as a legislator to address the problem. Some pointed out that he now serves as Cabinet Secretary while the very region he represented remains underdeveloped, a contradiction that many found difficult to swallow.
Daniellah, another resident, added a sharper edge to the criticism, noting that Mbadi should be doing more than tweeting about the situation. He emphasized that the MP had a responsibility that went beyond social media commentary.
Anwar Saddat also weighed in, suggesting that while Mbadi spoke of marginalisation and the Linda Mwananchi team picking what to highlight, two transformers for the region was hardly something to celebrate after such a long period of representation.
Mbadi has attempted to defend his record by arguing that the Linda Mwananchi team deliberately selected certain roads to paint a negative picture of the region while ignoring real development that has taken place.
He claimed that the major highways like the Homabay to Mbita and Rusinga Ring Road have been properly maintained. He also mentioned plans to tarmac some roads and spoke enthusiastically about the Lake Victoria ring road project.
However, Mbadi's defence has not entirely satisfied those who point out that most of the roads in Suba South and Suba North remain in poor condition. Millie, a resident, was blunt in her assessment, stating that most roads in the region are indeed bad and that calling them feeder roads to justify their poor state is simply sugar-coating the truth. She argued that the real issue is that the government has not prioritized the roads, and the terminology being used is merely an excuse for inaction.
The controversy has also brought to light the role of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund, commonly known as NG-CDF. This is a kitty that MPs allocate themselves to spearhead development projects in their constituencies.
Through this fund, roads, schools, and educational programs can be financed. Some legislators, like Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, have been praised for properly utilizing their NG-CDF allocations to construct roads and build schools.
This has raised uncomfortable questions about how Mbadi used these resources during his tenure. The implication is that with access to NG-CDF funds and the ability to lobby the national government for infrastructure projects, there should have been more visible development in Suba South.
The situation in Homa Bay has also highlighted the broader issue of development and marginalization in some regions of Kenya. While some counties and constituencies have received significant government attention and investment, others like parts of Homa Bay have lagged behind.
Proponents of the current administration argue that the region was neglected by previous governments and that President William Ruto has made efforts to change this narrative.
Opponents counter that even with renewed government attention, the region has still not fully benefited from devolution, which was supposed to bring services and development closer to the people. They argue that sixteen years into the 2010 constitution, many areas remain starved of basic infrastructure.
The criticism of Mbadi has also evolved to touch on accountability more generally. Residents are asking hard questions about what elected leaders do with the resources available to them and why some regions appear to progress while others remain stuck in underdevelopment. The fact that Mbadi now holds a position of even greater responsibility in government has only amplified these questions.
For Caroli Omon, who now serves as Treasury Cabinet Secretary, the expectations are already high. He will be watched closely to see whether his new position affords him the opportunity and resources to address the developmental challenges that plagued Suba South during his predecessor's time.
The eyes of Homa Bay residents are now firmly fixed on whether his appointment signals a new era of investment in the region or merely a continuation of the same.
The Suba South road controversy has become emblematic of a larger conversation about accountability, representation, and development in Kenya's political space. It is a reminder that voters are watching, remembering, and increasingly willing to hold their leaders publicly accountable for their performance.
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