Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has addressed growing public concerns about her whereabouts following her absence from the public.
In a statement on Friday, January 17, Kihika reassured residents that she is in good health, noting that she is currently on maternity leave.
"Following numerous calls that I have received regarding my absence, as the elected Governor of Nakuru County, I want to, first of all, assure the people of Nakuru that I am well and currently on maternity leave," Kihika said in the statement signed by Chief of Staff Peter Ketyenye.
Kihika expressed her gratitude to Nakuru residents for their concern and emphasized her confidence in the leadership of Deputy Governor David Kones during the period that she will be away.
"While thanking the people of Nakuru for their concern, I wholeheartedly assure them that service delivery in our Great County is proceeding as envisaged under the able guidance of the team led by the Deputy Governor, H.E. David Kones. I have no doubts whatsoever in H.E. Kones leading them in my absence," she added.
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Kihika indicated that her maternity leave will end in the coming weeks, after which she will resume her official duties.
Nakuru County residents had expressed concerns regarding the prolonged absence of Kihika from public engagements.
According to a media report, her last public appearance was on November 18, 2024, when she presided over a vocational training graduation ceremony.
Since then, there has been a notable lack of public visibility, leading to speculation and humorous commentary on social media about her whereabouts
Notably, this is not the first instance of such concerns. In May 2023, similar apprehensions arose when Kihika was absent from several significant public events.
At that time, she addressed the speculations by stating that her responsibilities as governor remained her top priority and that development projects and service delivery in Nakuru County were progressing well.
Kihika also criticized the media for using her name to boost their products.
"I understand that they have to sell their media productions. I'm at work," she said at the time.
