Homa Bay County has become a case study of how devolution can lose its soul when power falls into the hands of leaders who value family ties over public trust.
The ongoing outcry over corruption and nepotism has revealed how political offices in the county have been converted into family enterprises. The atmosphere of greed and personal gain now overshadows any sense of public duty, and many residents say the problem has become so deep that it can no longer be ignored.
What was once a system built on the promise of service and accountability has slowly turned into an organized web of selfish interests.
For many, the name that stands out in this discussion is County Assembly Majority Leader Richard Ogindo. He has been accused of building a network of family influence within the assembly and other departments of the county government. His leadership, once seen as a symbol of legislative oversight, has now come to represent the same rot that residents blame on the executive.
Allegations against Ogindo reveal how nepotism has evolved from whispers to a visible pattern where relatives occupy strategic offices, often without the required qualifications.
The County Assembly, which should be the moral guard of governance, now appears captured by personal interests and loyalty networks.
The story goes beyond Ogindo’s individual conduct. It connects to a wider problem that began under Governor Gladys Wanga’s administration. Her leadership started with hopes of reform and gender progress but soon became clouded by claims of irregular recruitment, ghost workers, and misuse of funds.
Reports by the County Public Service Board showed that hundreds of names were added or removed from the payroll illegally, costing taxpayers billions.
Even as hospitals ran short of staff and workers went unpaid, top officials spent millions on ceremonies and personal comforts.
This breakdown in accountability set the stage for people like Ogindo to replicate the same practices inside the assembly.
Several of Ogindo’s relatives reportedly occupy key positions within county departments. His second wife, Effie Oteng, serves as an administrator at Ndhiwa Sub-County Hospital, where her role gives her influence over personnel and procurement.
Her brother is said to work in the county’s legal department, while Ogindo’s brother, Sam, serves as a pharmacist despite lacking professional qualifications.
Sam’s wife also works in the enforcement unit, a department notorious for corruption and extortion. Another of Ogindo’s brothers holds a senior administrative position.
Together, these appointments form a network that extends beyond politics into the daily running of county services, turning what should be a public institution into a private family operation.
The silence within the County Assembly has made matters worse. Those who might have spoken up are said to owe their political survival to Ogindo. The result is an environment where wrongdoing is normalized and oversight is nonexistent.
County budgets pass with no meaningful debate, questionable appointments go unchallenged, and anyone who dares to question the system risks political isolation.
Residents feel betrayed as they watch hospitals struggle, roads deteriorate, and public projects stall while a few individuals enrich themselves.
Public trust in Homa Bay’s leadership has collapsed. Devolution, meant to bring power and resources closer to the people, now seems like a tool for self-enrichment. The county has drifted into a state where family connections determine employment and loyalty replaces competence.
The alliance between Governor Wanga’s office and Ogindo’s assembly leadership has effectively erased any line between the executive and oversight. Both arms of government appear to serve the same elite circle rather than the citizens.
Homa Bay’s situation exposes the tragic reality of devolved governance gone wrong. When political loyalty and blood relations outweigh merit, the system stops serving the people.
The corruption and nepotism gripping the county are not isolated mistakes but symptoms of a leadership culture built on entitlement. Unless this cycle is broken and accountability restored, Homa Bay will remain a warning of how public trust can be traded for personal gain.
The county’s leaders have turned governance into inheritance, leaving ordinary residents to bear the cost of their betrayal.
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