The Trade Building in Hola, meant to be the bustling nerve center of Tana River County, stands eerily abandoned as whispers of dark magic keep Governor Dhadho Godhana and his staff away, highlighting a unique collision of modern governance and ancient fears.

A partially opened gate and a deserted parking lot are the first signs that something is amiss at the Tana River County Government headquarters. Inside, locked doors conceal a paralyzing fear of witchcraft that has crippled local administration.

This matters now because the absence of key leadership from official stations threatens to derail critical development in a marginalized region. While residents grapple with infrastructural deficits and water scarcity, their elected officials are paralyzed by supernatural anxieties, raising serious questions about the intersection of cultural beliefs and public service delivery in modern Kenya.

A Paralyzed Administration

For years, junior staff have reportedly absconded from duty, mirroring the governor's own prolonged absence from the Trade Building. Local sources indicate that the fear of dark magic has created a chilling effect across multiple departments.

Abdalla Bakero, a close friend of the former governor and a member of the council of elders, recently attempted to dismiss these reports. He argued that the governor's absence is a personal choice informed by faith, not fear.

The Political Weaponization of Mysticism

• In 2021, President William Ruto accused some Coastal leaders of crossing into Tanzania to acquire "covert powers."
• Political opponents often use witchcraft allegations to undermine the credibility of incumbents in the Coast region.
• The cultural fabric of Tana River makes residents highly susceptible to such narratives, impacting voter behavior.

The strategic deployment of witchcraft rumors is a well-documented phenomenon in East African coastal politics. It serves as both a shield for administrative failures and a sword for ambitious challengers.

While the debate rages on whether faith, fear, or calculated political maneuvering keeps the governor away, the material reality for Tana River's 315,000 residents remains unchanged. Governance requires presence, and an empty desk cannot deliver the dividends of devolution.

The Economic Toll of Absentee Leadership

Tana River County receives billions of shillings annually in equitable share revenue, yet grassroots development is stymied. Bureaucratic bottlenecks are exacerbated when executive approvals are delayed due to physical absence.

Investors and local contractors report massive delays in project execution. An abandoned headquarters sends a strong signal to the private sector that the local government is dysfunctional, deterring much-needed capital injection.

"Leadership cannot function through a remote-control mechanism built on fear; the people of Tana River deserve a visible, functioning government."