Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has pushed back against Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna following claims that the Sindo Road in Homa Bay County is in poor condition.
In remarks issued on Wednesday, December 31, Mbadi accused the ODM Secretary General of unfairly attacking the road project, arguing that the criticism overlooked broader development efforts in the region.
Mbadi further stated that the Luo community has long been at the forefront of Kenya’s political struggles and should now shift its focus towards economic empowerment and growth.
“I heard Edwin Sifuna casting doubts on the state of the Sindo road. I must remind him that Luos have already played their part in political liberation,” Mbadi said.
“Without apology, we are now charting a course towards economic freedom. He should remember he has benefited from what I would call double-bet politics,” he added.
Sifuna’s comments were made a day earlier, on Tuesday, December 30, during the burial of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo. The senator explained that he arrived late because of the poor condition of the road in Sindo.
He told mourners that he had travelled with his family to Sindo to rest before heading to Lugari but encountered difficulties along the way.
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“I apologise for arriving late. I had travelled from very far,” Sifuna said. “I took my family to rest in Sindo, where we’re often told the Treasury is asleep. There is effectively no road there, and I got stuck.”
The 74-kilometre Mbita–Sindo–Kiabuya–Sori Road was officially launched by President William Ruto in October 2023. Once complete, the project is expected to enhance connectivity between Homa Bay and Migori counties.
The road is projected to open up a key transport corridor serving fishing communities, agricultural zones and major trading centres along the Lake Victoria basin.
Speaking on November 21, an Interior Ministry official said the project was already reshaping the region’s economy by improving mobility, boosting trade, and expanding access to markets.
The official noted that the route, which passes through Ruma National Park and productive farming areas, is also drawing new investment in tourism and the blue economy, including hotels, landing sites and fish processing facilities.
Improved access to schools, healthcare facilities and government services, he added, marks a critical step towards inclusive socio-economic development in the region.
