Homa Bay County Governor Gladys Wanga on Saturday, November 1, 2025, defended her administration's decision to launch a new mortuary at the County Teaching and Referral Hospital, a move that has ignited a fierce public debate over project prioritization. The opening of the funeral parlour comes as a KSh200 million Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit at the same hospital, launched over two years ago, remains incomplete.

Speaking at the launch, Governor Wanga described the mortuary as a critical component of the health sector, fulfilling a promise made to residents. The new facility has a capacity to hold 137 bodies, including a 37-body private wing, a chapel, and training facilities for students of mortuary science. This marks a significant upgrade from the hospital's previous 15-body mortuary, which reportedly faced challenges with overcrowding.

"Our aim is to give our people life... but in the event that God does his work... we also have a decent place now for them to rest," Governor Wanga stated, acknowledging the sensitivity of the project while highlighting her administration's investments in other areas of healthcare, including a new CT scan, dialysis services, and an oncology centre.

Stalled Projects and Public Priorities

The governor's justification has done little to quell criticism from residents and political figures, who question the timing and allocation of resources. The controversy is amplified by the status of the modern A&E wing, a flagship project intended to elevate the hospital to Level 5 status. The KSh200 million facility, for which the groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, was projected to be completed within 18 months. However, as of November 2025, it remains unfinished.

The public's frustration is further compounded by the recent completion of a new county headquarters building. The administrative complex was officially inaugurated by President William Ruto on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, ahead of the ninth Devolution Conference held in the county. This juxtaposition of a finished administrative building against a stalled critical health facility has fuelled accusations of misplaced priorities.

Former Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency chairperson, Odoyo Owidi, has been a vocal critic, describing the new headquarters as "a luxury" while the vital hospital project languishes. His comments reflect a broader sentiment among residents on social media, who argue that emergency medical services should have taken precedence over both the mortuary and the administrative offices.

A Case Study in Devolved Governance

The situation in Homa Bay highlights a recurring challenge in Kenya's devolved system of governance: balancing capital-intensive infrastructure projects with the immediate, essential service delivery needs of the populace. County governments are tasked with managing substantial budgets to improve local infrastructure, from roads and offices to hospitals and markets. However, decisions on which projects to prioritize are often fraught with political calculations, budgetary constraints, and public pressure.

Governor Wanga's administration maintains it has made significant strides in healthcare since taking office, citing the operationalization of a cancer centre and the revival of the hospital's renal unit. In her defense of the mortuary, the governor emphasized that providing a dignified final resting place was a frequent request from citizens during her campaign.

As the debate continues, the Homa Bay County government faces the challenge of demonstrating its commitment to completing the A&E wing, a project residents see as a more urgent life-saving facility. The controversy serves as a critical reminder of the intense scrutiny county administrations are under to ensure public funds are allocated transparently and in line with the most pressing needs of the communities they serve. The completion and operationalization of the emergency unit will be the ultimate test of these priorities.