Nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege has expressed concern over what she described as the underdevelopment in Bungoma County, attributing it to the area's choice of housing materials.
Speaking on Spice FM on Thursday, Chege shared her observations from her visit to the county, where she was struck by the prevalence of mud houses.
She said that this situation is uncommon in Central Kenya, where the standards of living are generally higher.
“When we attended the burial of the mother of our Speaker of the National Assembly, I was shocked to see that in Bungoma County, there are still many mud houses, and even an entire shopping centre made of mud,” Chege said.
She, however, clarified that her point was not about prioritising one region over another in terms of development, but rather addressing the root causes of such differences.
Chege highlighted that in Central Kenya, the income generated from cash crops such as tea and coffee has been a significant driver of local development, raising the standard of living for the residents.
She shared a personal reflection on how she was raised, stating that tea farming played a central role in her upbringing.
“We would wake up early before school to pick tea and work late into the evening. We worked very hard. We farmed," she recalled
She explained that her mother would often provide her with a cheque from the tea bonuses to take to school.
This, Chege noted, was a key aspect of how families in Central Kenya used the proceeds from cash crops to improve their lives.
"The cash crops in Central Kenya have made the people improve their lifestyles," she said.
She noted how these earnings enabled people to secure bank loans and build decent homes.
Chege also pointed out that the advantage of Mount Kenya lies in the availability of tea and coffee, which are not as common in other regions of the country
She emphasised that the difference in development is not necessarily due to the hard work or dedication of the people but is instead linked to the types of income-generating activities available in different areas.
Chege stressed that the source of income, particularly the role of cash crops, plays a vital role in determining the development levels and living standards of different regions.
