As all roads lead to Homa Bay County for the 62nd Madaraka Day celebrations at the newly built Raila Odinga stadium, scholar Fred Ogola shares a different view of the national event.

Ogola, a fierce advocate for justice, has expressed deep skepticism regarding the current political dynamics and the excitement that surrounds this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay.

He emphasizes that the primary development need for Homa Bay should be income generation, pointing out that the lakeside county has over the years struggled to raise substantial income for its residents.

According to Ogola, the recent infrastructural developments in Homa Bay County are event-driven and most of the Kenya Kwanza projects have only been rushed in preparation for the 2025 Madaraka Day celebrations, rather than as part of a sustained commitment to improving livelihoods in the region.

“We are having the 62nd Madaraka Day and you have to wait to see a road in the county. Now that we are 47 counties, one county has to wait for 47 years to see what Homa Bay is seeing today then what happens to that generation,” Ogola remarked.

Ogola’s sentiments echo growing concerns among some locals who view such projects as temporary showcases rather than lasting solutions to chronic underdevelopment and has instead urged the government to start investing in sustainable income-generating opportunities for the local population.

In doing so, he believes this will economically empower residents of such counties and also play a crucial role in the long term prosperity of such counties.

“If you ask me the main development that Homa Bay needs is income, when you find people who are so willing to watch something they will watch again it means there is a problem in the society, either those people are idle, there is no work and national priority,” he added.

Ogola’s remarks come after President Ruto’s Nyanza tour Pre-Madaraka Day, where he launched a number of development projects including construction of affordable housing units, and commissioning of roads and markets in the region.

Beyond economic concerns, Ogola also highlighted the urgent need to improve the security situation in the whole region which he claims had worsened thus becoming a critical barrier to investment, tourism, and daily life in parts of Homa Bay.

“Homa Bay is a town that wakes up very late and sleeps too early because there is insecurity at night just like Kisumu, Siaya and Migori as well. By 6:45pm Homa Bay starts to become a ghost town,” he said.