Siaya Woman Representative Dr. Christine Ombaka has hit back at critics who have questioned the effectiveness of the Woman Representative office, citing the financial constraints under which it operates.
She emphasized that her office runs on a lean budget that must cater for a wide range of needs, including student bursaries, women’s empowerment initiatives, and support for vulnerable groups across the county.
According to the Woman Rep, the limited resources make it challenging to fulfill all the demands placed on the office, but she has made significant progress despite the constraints.
Dr. Ombaka made these remarks while presiding over a bursary issuance event where she disbursed Sh4.6 million to 460 continuing high school students.
The financial aid aims to ensure that students from needy backgrounds could continue with their education without financial hindrances.
She reiterated that education remained one of her top priorities, and she is committed to supporting as many students as possible with the available resources.
At the same event, 62 young men and women received completion certificates for driving courses that had been funded by her office at a cost of Sh1.2 million.
Dr. Ombaka noted that such vocational training initiatives were key to addressing unemployment among the youth by equipping them with practical skills that could help them secure jobs or start their own businesses.
She urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the skills they had acquired and make meaningful contributions to society.
Despite the financial challenges, Dr. Ombaka expressed pride in her ability to equitably support education, empower women’s groups, and construct modern markets across Siaya County.
She pointed out that her achievements surpassed those of many of her colleagues holding the same position in other counties, who, she claimed, struggled to implement similar projects due to budgetary constraints.
She further challenged those who criticized her office to take into account the reality of financial limitations and recognize the impact her initiatives have had on the people of Siaya.
She called for a more objective evaluation of the work done by Woman Representatives rather than blanket condemnation.
According to her, real change required patience, commitment, and strategic allocation of the little resources available.
While addressing the audience, Dr. Ombaka also spoke on matters of governance and national politics.
She stressed that she and those affiliated to her political party stood for what is right and just.
She explained that their approach to governance is based on constructive engagement with the government, supporting good policies and calling out the administration whenever it goes astray.
“That is why we will support the government when it is doing good. But when it is doing badly, it is also our responsibility to say, ‘This is wrong; you cannot move that way”. That is simply constructive criticism,” Dr. Ombaka stated.
She added that opposition should not be mistaken for hostility, but rather as an effort to ensure that leaders remained accountable and policies are in the best interest of the people.
She called on her fellow legislators and leaders to adopt a similar approach by putting the interests of the people first.
She said governance should not be about blind loyalty but rather about ensuring that the right decisions are made to improve the livelihoods of citizens.
She encouraged leaders to speak out when necessary and not shy away from pointing out weaknesses in government policies.
Dr. Ombaka reaffirmed her commitment to serving the people of Siaya, stating that she would continue using the limited funds at her disposal to uplift the most vulnerable in the county.
She urged the beneficiaries of the bursaries and vocational training programmes to make good use of the support they had received and contribute positively to society.
Her remarks come at a time when the role and effectiveness of the Woman Representative office have been under scrutiny, with some questioning whether the position delivers meaningful results.
However, Dr. Ombaka remains confident that her work speaks for itself, and she encouraged the public to judge leaders based on their tangible impact rather than political rhetoric.
By Calvin Otieno
