Lack of infrastructure condemning Kenyans to poverty

By Kamotho Waiganjo

Two weeks ago I spent a restful week on the lakeside in the very scenic village of Kisindi, which lies between Kendu Bay and Homa Bay. Let me start by celebrating the hospitality of Kenyans who are not caught up by the elite fight for ethnic advantage.

In Kisindi, my difference in ethnicity was celebrated; I was welcomed as an honoured brother and was not defined as one of the enemy ‘others’.

I left the place humbled not just by kindness of these Kenyans but also by their willingness to share the little they had with visitors. There is hope yet for this country.

I had used the lake to get to Kisindi and as we navigated around the hyacinth, I was able to see firsthand the level of poverty among the rural fishermen.

Without any significant cooling facilities these dynamic Kenyans wake up at dawn throughout their lives but remain at the mercy of upcountry traders who buy their fish for a pittance since failure to sell will lead to loss through rot.

It is an indictment on the leadership that in this day and age when even donors are willing to fund initiatives of that nature, when devolved funds can be used to provide facilities that empower the people, when people can be organised in co-operatives to set up common facilities, that such poverty can live alongside the bounty of the lake.

It reminded me of the tragedy of the coffee sector in central Kenya where the people growing a brand of coffee in great demand internationally continue to live in poverty.

But nothing prepared me for the state of the roads in that part of the country.

Being the adventurous kind I decided to go from Kendu Bay to Migori, through Homa Bay, by road. Since Homa Bay is the headquarters of the new county I expected the road to be at least passable. Far from it.

The 35km journey to Homa Bay took us almost two hours in the rain. What was more distressing is that there was a contractor on site, but I was informed that he had not worked on the road for two or three years.

These are the situations, which call for the stepping aside of the relevant minister.

Imagine what pregnant women and sick persons have to go through to get to Homa Bay District Hospital.

What of traders who need to traverse the territory to move their goods? Imagine the losses occasioned to local farmers due to the sorry state of the access roads to and from supply centres.

This is unacceptable.

In this new dispensation, any person seeking leadership should provide a comprehensive plan for people empowerment. Meanwhile, the national government must ensure basic infrastructure is available.

Watching those fishermen going out into the night made me recognise that Kenya has a great people resource that just needs basic support to thrive. But our people resource is being wasted as it wallows in poverty. That is not the Kenya of the new Constitution.

—The writer is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya