The debate whether
President William Ruto deserves only one term or a second term in office is
often limited to voices capable of accessing mass media platforms and the
internet where social media offers liberty of opinion.
I recently watched a section of leaders issuing an ultimatum to Ruto’s UDA over zoning. The leaders warned that the party was improperly fielding candidates to compete against the ODM and said that was not in order following their broad-based cooperation arrangement.
In the villages of Homa Bay or Migori counties, the masses aren’t on the same political wavelength as their leaders, at least according to their zoning or whatever demands they are advancing to the President.
I was born in Shauri Yako informal settlement Homa Bay town and grew up there throughout the 1990s until today when I am in my mid-30s. It is only through Ruto’s leadership that the town has had infrastructure development rivalling other regions and deemed economic potential since Independence.
Over time, I have argued that stories about certain places should be told by persons who know these places well, and not just anyone capable of accessing mass media. Residents of Nyanza care greatly about how government development initiatives are transforming their lives, rather than who imposes what political conditions before offering their support.
Ruto’s administration has recorded significant progress in its development programmes across the Nyanza region, making gains in key sectors including housing, water and sanitation, and market infrastructure.
The ongoing projects across Kisumu, Homa Bay, Siaya, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira counties show sustained advancement in eight strategic sectors, despite challenges affecting transport and industrial development.
Today, housing has emerged as the largest area of investment and a major source of employment in the region. More than 1,000 jobs are being generated daily from active construction sites. For instance, the Lumumba affordable housing projectin Kisumu is reported to be 70 per cent complete, with more than 9,000 units under construction.
In Migori, the Mabera affordable housing projecthas reached 98 per cent completion, while Homa Bay’s housing programme is already complete. Siaya and Kisii counties have thousands of units at various stages of construction, while Nyamira has been identified for accelerated implementation due to slower progress.
In my view, the scale of projects reflects a deliberate strategy to expand access to infrastructure and economic opportunities.
Again, the market infrastructure under the economic stimulus programme is promoted as one of the most visible interventions at the grassroots level. The projects are providing trading spaces alongside water and electricity connections. Homa Bay, Siaya and Kisii counties are reporting high completion rates, with several markets nearing handover.
In the education sector, the government programme is focused on expanding technical and vocational education and training facilities and student accommodation.
Kisumu and Siaya are
leading in hostel development, with more than 10,000 student beds planned or
under construction. Homa Bay is recording expansion in training institutions,
while Migori has multiple hostel projects underway. Kisii and Nyamira are still
in early implementation stages. Water and sanitation projects are identified as
the best-performing sector, with several initiatives already completed and
operational.
The Kendu Bay and Oyugis water projects in Homa Bay, as well as the Ugunja water project in Siaya, have been completed. The Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation project in Kisumu is at 85 per cent completion.
However, the Soin-Koru Dam project remains stalled due to court cases and funding constraints. Transport infrastructure, while representing one of the largest financial investments, has faced setbacks linked to contractor payments, withdrawals from sites and land compensation disputes.
The Rusinga Ring Road in Homa Bay is near completion at 98 per cent, and airport projects in Kisumu and Kabunde are also at advanced stages.
Most road projects across the region, however, remain between six and 25 per cent complete, with the government indicating it is engaging contractors and addressing pending bills.
The Homa Bay County Aggregation and Industrial Park is about 59 per cent complete, while the Siaya facility has stalled due to contractor and financing challenges. Kisii and Nyamira have limited development in this sector, with financing models under review. Energy projects show mixed progress.
The Sondu Transmission Line in Kisumu is nearing completion at 94 per cent and is expected to improve electricity stability in the region. Last-Mile Connectivity projects, including market lighting, are advancing more slowly but are expected to accelerate alongside related infrastructure.
The Homa Bay pier and fish market are fully operational, supporting fishing communities. Additional fisheries centres are under development, and the Kisumu Maritime Rescue Centre has been established to enhance safety on Lake Victoria.
It is important to note that Nyanza’s statistics in several health indicators hasn’t been impressive. The region historically records some of the country’s highest under-five mortality figures, often surpassing regional averages due to communicable disease burdens.
Homa Bay and surrounding Nyanza counties feature prominently in the Ministry of Health’s Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance action plans, with average figures averaging higher than the national ratio of 355 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Homa Bay was ranked second nationally with 128,906 people living with HIV, followed by Kisumu (114,986), Siaya (96,304) and Migori (80,105), according to the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council's Kenya HIV Estimates Report 2026.
The figures highlight the continued concentration of HIV cases in parts of western Kenya, alongside major urban centres.
Over decades, health experts have argued that such data is critical for guiding the allocation of resources, expanding access to testing and treatment, and strengthening prevention programmes yet this data and corresponding resources never reached where it was needed most.
Today, healthcare is among Ruto’s key focal points for the Nyanza region. The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital has an ambitious master plan to expand the facility to a 2,000-bed regional hospital that also carries out research.
The writer is an agriculture consultant in Homa Bay county
