By Joel Clinton
Residents of Manyatta B Ward in Kisumu are worried about the long absence of their Member of County Assembly, Nereah Okongo. They say she has rarely been seen at her ward office since her five-year term began.
The residents believe this absence has made it hard for them to raise important community issues. These issues include poor roads, garbage disposal, and access to bursaries for students in need.
Some residents think the MCA’s absence may be due to her reported nomination for the role of speaker of the Kisumu County Assembly. They feel this responsibility has taken her focus away from ward matters.
Alice Adhiambo, a resident of Manyatta B, said residents are frustrated by the lack of direct access to their elected leader. “Our MCA is unavailable most of the time. When you try calling her, the phone is unreachable. It becomes very difficult for us to raise our grievances because there is no one to listen to us,” Adhiambo said.
Christine, a member of the community, mentioned that many residents feel ignored by the leader they chose to represent them. “Sometimes when you try calling, she does not pick up, and in some cases, people say they get blocked. That leaves residents without any way to share their problems,” Christine said.
In a recent baraza organized by Siasa Place in collaboration with the CBO The Dawn of Obunga, these issues also came to light. Steve Wanda, the chairman of the CBO, strongly condemned the MCA’s actions, saying, “Her service to the people must come first. Leadership is about being present, listening to residents, and addressing their concerns. It is unacceptable for the community to feel abandoned.”
Manyatta B still faces several development challenges. Residents highlight poor road conditions that worsen during the rainy season, scattered garbage in neighborhoods, and delays in bursary allocations for students as urgent issues that need attention.
Community members had hoped the ward office would be a place where they could easily meet their MCA and find solutions to local problems.
Attempts to contact Okongo for a comment were unsuccessful, as calls to her known phone number went unanswered by the time this was published. Residents now hope their issues will be addressed so that communication with the ward leadership can improve.
