Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has officially declared the Homa Bay County Commissioner’s residence a State Lodge in a move that significantly expands the government’s executive footprint in the Nyanza region.
In a gazette notice dated May 12, the Interior Ministry confirmed that the facility, located in Homa Bay Town, would formally attain State Lodge status effective May 15.
Murkomen said the declaration was being issued “for the general information of the public,” officially designating the residence for high-level state functions and presidential use.
“It is notified for the general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration declares Homa Bay County Commissioner’s residence as a State Lodge,” the notice stated.
The move comes nearly a year after the residence was constructed ahead of the 2025 Madaraka Day celebrations hosted in Homa Bay County. The property temporarily accommodated President William Ruto during the national event despite not having been formally gazetted as a State Lodge at the time.
Since then, the residence has continued serving as the official home of the county commissioner.
However, the latest declaration effectively transforms the property into a high-security presidential facility reserved for the Head of State, senior government officials, and visiting dignitaries during official engagements in the region.
The decision is also expected to trigger operational changes within the compound, including the transfer of management, maintenance, and security responsibilities from the Ministry of Interior to the Office of the State House Comptroller.
Under the new arrangement, the county commissioner will be required to vacate the premises to allow exclusive state access whenever the president or top-ranking officials visit the region.
State Lodges are government-owned residences designated for official state business outside Nairobi and are often used to host executive meetings, diplomatic engagements, and overnight presidential stays during regional tours.
With the Homa Bay facility now elevated to State Lodge status, President Ruto now has three official State Lodges within the wider Nyanza region, including those in Kisumu and Kisii.
The declaration also signals what analysts view as a broader strategy by the Kenya Kwanza administration to decentralise executive operations and establish permanent presidential infrastructure across the country’s 47 counties.
Earlier in 2025, Murkomen similarly gazetted the official residences of the Bungoma and Kwale County Commissioners as fully-fledged State Lodges, underscoring the government’s growing investment in regional executive facilities.
Also Read: Police Detain Suspect After Fatal Stabbing of Woman in Kilimani