‘Hallo hallo nimekuja na tangazo…’

These words would probably best capture the latest turn of events involving Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika, whose whereabouts have been the subject of much speculation for months.

While rumours swirled about her absence, Senator Tabitha Karanja publicly hinted that the Governor had travelled to the United States to give birth, accusing her of ignoring the public hospitals in the County.

The accusation came at a time where women in Kuresoi North and South subcounties were decrying the poor state of maternity hospitals in the area.

At the time, the county governmnet had released a memo simply stated that Kihika was on "maternity leave."

But surprise, surprise – photos have now resurfaced showing her living it up in Texas, USA.

Could it be then that Senator Karanja was right?

The photos could easily be termed as 'proof of life,' a social media concept where one shares photos of themeselves online after a long time of being away from the public eye

And just like the weekly bible verses Nakuru residents are served, so was her reintroduction to her constituents by Millicent Omanga, a member of the Board of Directors of Kenya Shipyards Limited, through a bible verse that reads “A friend loves at all times, and a sister is born for a time of adversity.” — Proverbs 17:17.

“Blessed to have a best friend who walks with me in faith, love, and laughter. Grateful for the bond God has given us! Susan Kihika” says Omanga in all her social media posts.

Well, her number one critic Willie Oeba was not too late to the party saying on X, “Good Morning from the US Texas-based Nakuru County Governor!! Must Be Nice!!”

This is not the first time Oeba took to social media to publicly comment on the Governor's leadership style.

In the recent past, Oeba got into a heated exchange with the Governor over the forceful take over of War memorial hospital.

On January 17, the governor, through her Chief of Staff, Dr. Peter Ketyenya, had disclosed that she was on maternity leave, as an explanation for her absence.

This was after a three-month absence from Nakuru, raising speculations from residents, after having been seen last on Nov 18th, 2024.

Through this time, her communication team has been working to keep the Governor’s social media pages active, occasionally sharing progress of various development projects.

Her absence also brought about a sense of unease in the county, when it emerged that it was unclear who between the Deputy Governor David Kones and the County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura were steering the ship.

Well, here’s to hoping that this appearance means Gov. Kihika is preparing for a grand comeback to the ‘County of unlimited opportunities’.

New details emerge in Governor Susan Kihika's widely debated maternity leave

Author Spotlight

Joseph Openda