Nairobi News

Unknown people have defaced billboards used by the Homa Bay County government to showcase some of the projects being undertaken by Governor Gladys Wanga’s administration.

Residents of different locations across Homa Bay County were on Friday shocked when they discovered that someone had spray-painted signage used at project sites.

It is not clear who painted the signboards nor what was his or her intention of doing so.

Supporters of the governor however pointed fingers at their opponents.

This is despite the county having settled after the heated political campaign ahead of the August 2022 polls.

Signposts that were defaced include the ones that display ongoing projects in the county including road construction.

When she took power, Ms Wanga came up with a new method of letting the public know about ongoing government-funded projects.

Previously and in some countries, projects would have information such as its name, contractor undertaking it, commencement and time it will take to end and other information written on pieces of wood and put at the site.

Ms Wanga chose a different approach when she launched ward-based projects in all 40 wards in February, 2023.

Her projects have signage made from metal plates and beams.

Another unique feature of the signs is the use of her images.

She has her picture on the right side of the signboards and the MCA representing the area where the project is being implemented placed on the left.

Incidentally whoever was defacing the photos elected to cover the governor’s face using paint.

Images of the MCAs were however spared.

Most of the affected project signages are on road construction sites across the county.

On April 13, 2023, a group of people decided to deface the signposts by covering Ms Wanga’s face using paint.

A number of signposts were painted.

The governor is yet to comment on the incident but her critics were quick to react.

On social media, residents shared different opinions on the matter.

Mr Dan Opiyo said, “They’ll achieve nothing by doing this.”

He was echoed by Florence Ouma who decried the act as a sign of stupidity.

There were also questions on why Ms Wanga had her pictures on signposts used to show county government-funded projects.

Some social media users claimed it was an act of seeking publicity.

“Both the one who coloured the picture and the one who printed the billboard are great jokers. What are the pictures for in the billboard? Besides, why would one also cross-paint the pictures?” Ethel Simbi asked.

Meanwhile, Mr Okoth Odidi questioned the value of the governor and MCA pictures on the signposts.

According to him, the space they cover can be used to add more information about the project.

“You can use the space taken up by pictures to create awareness,” he wrote.

Also read: Nicah the Queen’s cheeky response to baby daddy Ofweneke after wedding MC offer