Governor Gladys Wanga of Homa Bay County has come under sharp criticism for spending huge sums of public money on travel while local hospitals continue to struggle.
A new report from the Controller of Budget shows that county governments across Kenya are wasting billions on unnecessary allowances, local trips, conferences, and international meetings.
In Homa Bay, Governor Wanga’s administration spent Sh219.82 million on domestic travel alone. This figure is shocking when many health facilities in the county lack basic medicine, working equipment, and enough doctors.
The report warns that several counties are overspending on salaries and perks, going above the legal limit of 35 percent of their revenue.
Some counties are using up to 44 percent just on wages and travel costs.
This leaves very little money for important services like roads, clean water, and healthcare. For the people of Homa Bay, this problem feels especially painful. Hospitals are sinking under neglect.
Patients wait for hours or sleep on the floor. Mothers give birth without proper care. Children die from diseases that should be easy to treat. Medicine runs out for weeks, and broken equipment is not replaced. Yet Governor Wanga and her team found millions to spend on domestic travel and related costs.
This kind of spending is not just wasteful. It is unfair to the hardworking residents who pay taxes and expect better services.
While ordinary families face daily struggles, the governor’s office seems focused on conferences, workshops, and trips that bring little real change to the county.
The Controller of Budget report clearly shows that public money meant for development is being used for personal comfort and political activities instead.
Governor Gladys Wanga must be held accountable. The people of Homa Bay elected her to improve their lives, not to enjoy expensive travels while hospitals fall apart.
How many lives could have been saved if even part of that Sh219.82 million had gone to buying drugs, repairing wards, or hiring more nurses?
The priorities are completely wrong. Residents deserve functional hospitals, reliable ambulances, and available medicine right now.
