Senator Wakoli(above) to Lusaka…”prioritize accountability for premature 2027 campaigns”….Photo/IP
By IP Reporter
NAIROBI, Kenya (IP)
A political storm is brewing in western Kenya after Bungoma Senator David Wakoli launched a fierce, wide-ranging attack on Governor Ken Lusaka.
The senator is accusing Lusaka’s administration of financial opacity, failed service delivery and abandoning governance for early election campaigns.
In remarks that are likely to resonate nationally amid growing scrutiny of devolved units, Wakoli painted Bungoma as a county where millions are collected but little reaches ordinary citizens.
At the heart of the accusations is Sh52 million in cess revenue, which the senator said has not translated into improved infrastructure.
Roads across the county, he argued, remain in disrepair despite the steady stream of local revenue.
Wakoli also raised alarm over emergency preparedness following the destruction of Makhese market by fire — an incident that exposed glaring gaps in disaster response.
He questioned how such a tragedy could occur when the county had allocated more than Sh40 million for the repair of firefighting equipment and ambulances.
“Up to now, no answers have been given,” Wakoli said, accusing the governor of sidestepping accountability even as losses mount.
The senator further spotlighted the struggling Webuye Referral Hospital, saying critical health pledges remain unfulfilled.
He noted that despite promises to equip the facility with a CT scan machine and multiple ambulances, the hospital currently operates with only one ambulance.
“Where has the money of the people of Bungoma gone?” Wakoli posed, framing the issue as emblematic of broader governance failures.
He warned that the situation reflects a dangerous shift in priorities, with leaders allegedly focusing on the 2027 general elections instead of delivering essential services.
“Who will the people run to when their government is already in campaign mode?” he asked.
Wakoli’s criticism extended beyond the governor to the county executive, urging officials to confront what he described as a breakdown in accountability.
He called on County Executive Committee Member for Education Eng. Agnes Wachie who was present at the meeting to relay the concerns directly to the governor.
The remarks were delivered during the burial of Rev. Charles Wakhisi in Webuye West constituency, but their implications reach far beyond Bungoma, touching on a national debate over the effectiveness of devolution and stewardship of public resources.
Positioning himself as a voice for ordinary citizens, Wakoli vowed to maintain pressure on the county leadership.
“Not everyone can demand accountability. I will continue to ask the hard questions,” he said.
As Kenya edges closer to another election cycle, the unfolding situation in Bungoma underscores a broader concern: whether county governments are drifting from their core mandate of service delivery into premature political contests — at the expense of the citizens they were created to serve.
