By Reporter
Residents, farmers and regional stakeholders from the Lake Region have voiced overwhelming opposition to the Regional Development (Repeal) Bill, 2026, fiercely defending the foundational role of the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) in grassroots development.
During public participation sessions in Kisumu County conducted by the Departmental Committee on Regional Development, locals argued that repealing regional development authorities would reverse decades of economic progress, disrupt vital agricultural projects and create severe administrative inefficiencies.
Speaking against the legislation, Dr Joseph Oketch Newton pointed out that the repeal Bill fails to provide a clear mechanism for transferring functions to either the national or county governments.
“Centralising these functions is likely to introduce systemic inefficiencies, and might draw us back to where we were before the creation of this Authority. LBDA has historically empowered farmers to grow and market rice while drilling essential boreholes,” he noted.
Stakeholders from agricultural communities echoed these sentiments to Matungu lawmaker Hon. Oscar Nabulindo and his Kabuchai counterpart, Hon. Majimbo Kalasinga, who led the exercise, highlighting the tangible benefits they receive across the region.
George Anywaka, a rice farmer from Nyando, emphasised that national government funding channelled through the LBDA directly supports regional development projects and helps farmers market their produce.
Similarly, Irene Andega noted that the provision of specialised machinery has significantly lowered production costs for local rice farmers, while Darille Oluko added that the authority brings critical services closer to the people.
Other stakeholders, such as Greentek Company’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Hellen Orwa, stressed that if any restructuring occurs, the LBDA should be preserved as the mother institution due to its collaborative capacity-building efforts.
Environmental and conservation initiatives managed by the authority also drew strong support. Dave Okech, Chairperson of Fish Farmers in Kenya and CEO of Aquarate, warned that the Bill would introduce bureaucratic bottlenecks that hinder regional development.
He highlighted the critical role of the LBDA’s fish hatchery projects in restocking Lake Victoria and preventing fish depletion, a sentiment echoed by Anthony Aroni, who noted the authority’s impact on providing fruit and tree seedlings and briquettes for environmental conservation.
Residents fondly referred to access to clean water and social infrastructure as major pillars of community reliance on the LBDA.
Local educators and residents, including Alphosne Sigunda and Dr Elijah Odundo of Zawerian Schools, which serves a population of over 8,500 children, testified that LBDA projects have successfully supplied clean water to schools and surrounding communities.
Further, participants raised profound concerns regarding employment and marginalised regions.
Brian Mundo and Ezra Khaoya warned that repealing the authority would threaten jobs for youth and casual workers who depend on its ongoing infrastructure and community projects. Jekoneo Owino encapsulated the general consensus, submitting that county governments alone cannot bridge the resource gap left behind and that abolishing the LBDA would unjustly deny local communities essential developmental resources.
Across the board, residents strongly urged lawmakers to strengthen the LBDA and increase its funding rather than dismantle it.
