By Anderson Ojwang
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga swallowed the bait by the Linda Mwananchi brigades and was left exposed; her panic and fear of the unknown spoke volumes, and it is a nightmare.
On Sunday morning, Wanga was in Kisumu during the platinum jubilee of the Voice of Salvation and Healing Church while Homa Bay burnt with none to bring water.
And she wrote: “The ministry, which has spread the Gospel of redemption and hope to thousands across Kenya and beyond, drew national and county leaders including CS Hon. Opiyo Wandayi, MP Hon. Rozaah Buyu, Deputy Governor Dr. Matthews Owili, Speaker Hon. Elisha Oraro, and City Manager Abala Wanga.”
But in Homa Bay, on the eve of the rally, Wanga’s right-hand man and area MP Opondo Kaluma had declared war on the Linda Mwananchi group and termed them as enemies.
Kaluma did not stop at that; he directed youths to ransack hotels believed to be hosting members of the team ahead of the rally.
“We are going to ransack homes and hotels to deal with the people and the hotels. We have given direction; deal with them,” he said.
Consequently, Homa Bay Tourist Hotel became one of the victims of the rowdy youths who destroyed the facility. A Jua Kali, several vehicles were damaged, and scores of people were injured.
While Wanga was in church, goons took charge of the county, blocked the roads, lit bonfires, and caused chaos.
Some of the goons carried pangas, machetes, and jembe handles in readiness for a bullfight, and indeed it was a bloodbath.
From Kisumu, Wanga went to Karachuonyo for a fund drive for Wikondiek SDA Church as Homa Bay continued to bleed in blood.
But in Suba South, in Nyandiwa, where Wanga had camped ahead of the rally, the home of the legendary Nyamgondho son of Obare welcomed the Linda Mwananchi brigades.
The organic crowd told the story of the sweeping Linda Mwananchi wave across the country.
Exposed
Yemen
All that glitters is not gold, so the transformative development and the top ranking by pollsters on Wanga as a top performer were deconstructed and laid bare.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna wondered aloud if Suba was another Yemen because of the bad, impassable roads in the area.
“Bwana walisema huku Homabay ndio kuna shiny things, kumbe ni ukora tu… dust is constant (They said Homa Bay has transformative development, but no roads; just dust),” he wrote.
Residents have accused Wanga of riding on national government projects while she has no project of her own to show to the public for the four years in office.
Speaking in Karachuonyo, Wanga said the bad roads in the county were a result of decades of political marginalisation.
“They are now saying Suba is Yemen. They do not know the pain we have gone through after years of marginalisation by successive governments,” she said.
Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo admitted that most of the roads in the county were in bad shape and needed urgent works.
“Most of our roads are bad in Suba South and North. Let us stop cheating people by saying those are feeder roads and that the main roads were barricaded. What you see, other than Homa Bay to Mbita and Rusinga Ring Road, are the main roads. President Kibaki and PM Raila tarmacked Homa Bay town to Mbita town. President Uhuru built the Mbita Bridge. President Ruto has tarmacked the Rusinga Ring Road. He has opened the Mfangano Ring Road and tarmacking is commencing. He has earmarked a few others to be done, including the Sindo-Mbito Road. CS Mbadi recently launched two in my constituency, one of which is the one being used now. We have been marginalised for years. Sugar-coating it by calling the bad roads feeder roads will stop the government from prioritising these roads. CS Mbadi – tigi wiyi. The world has made enough mockery of us today, calling us Afghanistan and all. It is time this ended. Subas are Kenyans too. We need accelerated development here,” she wrote.
But the residents are asking: where has the development for roads in the county government gone to?
Slipping political ground
With the demise of Wanga’s political mentors – the late Homa Bay Senator Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ and the former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga – Wanga is now left exposed to political scavengers.
Wanga’s political battles are not only concentrated in Homa Bay County, where she is racing against a political nightmare of her former deputy Oyugi Magwanga, but also in ODM, the broad-based government, and Nyanza, where she has been plotting to plant her candidates.
The Homa Bay Linda Mwananchi rally gave the opponents a chance to test her political prowess and blueprint, and she ran amok, exposing her soft belly.
In Nyandiwa, where she camped hoping to persuade the residents to avoid the rally, they answered her with organic huge attendance.
All her pleas and promises went down the drain as Sindo and Nyandiwa spoke, and the spirits of the lake conspired to welcome the group.
In Kendu Bay, the residents braved and welcomed the group – a statement to the governor that all was not well in her camp.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino wrote: “Baba Raila Amollo Odinga was a true pro-democracy leader who stood firmly for the right to free speech and the freedoms of every Kenyan. Even in the face of fierce political opposition, Baba believed in forgiveness, reconciliation and unity. Thank you to the people of Nyandiwa, Suba South Constituency, Homa Bay County, for reaffirming Baba’s enduring ideals of democracy, free speech and tolerance. We must continue to uphold and protect the values he fought for.”
In the absence of Raila, will Wanga successfully face the storm?
Goons’ paradise
The rally exposed Homa Bay as a goons’ paradise and the dark faces behind them in the county.
From the day the group notified the police of the rally to the actual day, the goons have been on duty.
Kaluma warned business owners of dire consequences for hosting members of Linda Mwananchi in their facilities.
“If you are a hotel owner in Homa Bay Constituency, you must know the people who have slept in your hotel. We will deal with that person and even the hotel,” he said.
Kaluma said the county leadership and the entire leadership had given directions.
“My people, I came to talk to the youths to protect us now that we have been invaded by the enemy. I have finished arrangements with your leadership. Fuel is provided. From here we move to Imbo, Rodi, and Homa Bay. Our party is ODM. It is President Ruto’s second term,” he said.
But Siaya Governor James Orengo wrote: “Homa Bay Town came through LOUD! You stood tall, defeated the goons, and proved that light always shames the dark. Huge shoutout JoAsego Kanyada for leading the charge.”
