New Jomvu road named after Kenyan philanthropist

Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir, Dr. Kennedy Odede and local leaders cut a ribbon to open a new 4.5km access road in Jomvu. [Winfrey Owino, Standard]

A newly constructed 4.5-kilometre access road in Jomvu, Mombasa, has been officially opened and is expected to ease congestion and improve safety for traders and schoolchildren in the densely populated Bangladesh settlement.

The road, now known as the Kennedy Odede Access Road, was unveiled on Wednesday during a ceremony attended by national and local leaders, including Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir and Jomvu MP Badi Twalib, alongside community members.

Twalib said the naming recognises Dr. Kennedy Odede's commitment to improving lives in informal settlements across Kenya, including the Coast region.

"Dr. Odede is a living testament that greatness is not defined by where you start, but by what you choose to do with your life," Twalib said.

The MP noted that Odede had worked closely with Jomvu communities through programmes such as clean water, women's empowerment, scholarships, and youth initiatives.

"This is not just a road. This is a message to every young person in the Bangladesh ward and across Mombasa that even if you grow up with nothing, you can still build something that changes the world," Twalib added.

Governor Nassir praised the decision to honour Odede, describing him as a leader whose work is rooted in community development.

"What Dr. Odede represents is what this country and county need more. He did not wait to be elected or appointed. He walked into the toughest neighbourhoods with empowerment programmes and believed in people," Nassir said.

Odede, who attended the event, expressed gratitude, saying the honour humbled and inspired him to continue working with underprivileged communities.

"I never imagined that a road would carry my name, especially here in Mombasa. This is a place where I've found family, friendship, and shared purpose," Odede said.

He added: "I am deeply honoured. But more than that, I am humbled because this road is not about me alone. It is about all the young people in the slums of Mathare, Kibera, Bangladesh, and Changamwe who wake up every day fighting for a better future."

Odede is the founder and CEO of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), which has launched empowerment programmes in Mombasa, including community centres in Kisauni, Bangladesh, Maweni, Likoni, and Changamwe.

The centres host activities such as school libraries, women's empowerment programmes, computer labs, community halls and gender services. SHOFCO has over 180,000 members in Mombasa under its Shofco Urban Network.

Odede has also offered TVET scholarships to more than 3,000 young people and paid secondary school fees for over 1,000 students in the county.

The SHOFCO founder was in Mombasa to launch two new buses to be used by the community to generate income.