SHAME! Neither Hon Millie Mabona nor Hon Kaluma can compete with Hon Wanga’s record in Homa Bay County

The runaway success of the Homa Bay County Women’s Savings and Cooperative Society, founded by Woman Rep Hon Gladys Wanga in 2014 at Ligisa Secondary School grounds, presents one of the most effective women empowerment programs by any leader in Kenya’s recent history.

This success has invited political resentment at home where a few leaders feel seriously threatened and exposed because they are unable to match Hon Wanga’s success.

The exposure of Millie Mabona and Peter Kaluma as the queen’s of political rhetoric has never been more apparent.

When Hon Wanga founded the HBC Women Sacco, the primary objective was not to determine her ancestral lineage as demanded by Hon Mabona but to avail low interest loans to the rural womenfolk of Homa Bay County.

The intention then was never to engage in county assembly feuds but to prioritise easy access to credit by the poor women of Homa Bay and help move them away from the poverty line, to economically empower them, and to ultimately enable them to be able fend for their families with ease.

It is a tragedy that Hon. Mabona and Hon. Kaluma are proxy-fighting this noble activity by Hon Wanga. Typical of people from spoilt backgrounds, they have no idea how families struggle to put food on the table or send children to

It is gratifying to note Hon Wanga has ignored the antics of Mabona and Kaluma. Instead, the HBC Sacco has invited external help from national leaders.

First it was CS Fred Matiang’i who visited Homa Bay to help raise funds for the HBC Women Sacco, followed by KANU Chairman who is also Baringo Senator Gideon Moi. Sources say H.E. Raila Odinga is seeking to support the HBC Women Sacco by inviting H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta to visit Homa and help raise additional funds.

Clearly Homa Bay County and it’s National Affirmative Action Fund is today a model county under the stewardship of Him Gladys Wanga.

Throughout the world, research has identified community cooperatives are powerful vehicles of social inclusion, political and economic empowerment of their members.

Instead of fighting for more of their constituents to be integrated into HBC Women SACCO which today has over 10,000 active members drawn from all the sub-counties of Homa Bay County, Mabona and Kaluma are exposing themselves to ridicule by politically undermining the biggest economic empowerment community organisation in the county.

Evidence indicate that HBC Women SACCO membership has resulted in enhanced productivity at the houhold level through improved incomes and further boosted the general quality of life for both the sacco members as well as the local community in which they live.

Thanks to the foresight, support and dedication of Hon Wanga, the ability of the women of Homabay Bay to access and equitably have control over their economic and financial resources has been greatly enhanced by the HBC Women SACCO.