Residents of Mfangano Island in Suba North Sub County are a delighted lot after the national government created a new sub county to enhance service delivery.
Through the Kenya Gazette of the 17th of this month, the government through the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government created Suba Central Sub County with its headquarters in Sena.
The newly created sub county will help enhance coordination of government functions for residents on the Island of Lake Victoria.
Suba Central Sub County will serve six islands in the former Suba North including Mfangano Island, Remba, Ringiti, Takawiri among others.
The residents have for a long time faced the challenge of traveling through the lake to seek government services in Mbita which was the headquarters of the larger region.
Speaking to KNA at Sena in the new Sub County, the residents led by Samwel Odoyo expressed their gratitude to the government saying the island regions have been faced with various challenges surrounding insecurity due to lack of the government amenities.
“This Sub County has been created at an opportune time and we believe it will open up our economy, improve infrastructure and create employment for our youths,” said Odoyo.
Joseph Atonga, one of the residents also expressed his joy saying that Mfangano and the surrounding islands were remote regions, separated from the rest of the County and the new development was a blessing.
He said that crossing the lake to access government services was a challenge, especially to the elderly persons adding that the process has also been characterized by numerous deaths and insecurities.
Mark Matunga, one of the leaders who have been fighting for the creation of the new sub county, called on the government to deploy personnel and ensure the necessary infrastructure was put in place for the Sub County to take off.
By Omar Zabbibah
