A peculiar diplomatic plea has emerged from Nakuru, where a resident, Evans Kimori, has taken the bold step of petitioning U.S. President Donald Trump to deport Nakuru's Governor Susan Kihika. What's sparking this unconventional appeal? It's Kihika's prolonged stay in the U.S. that has now stretched to nearly five months, leaving many in Nakuru frustrated and concerned.
Controversy Over Prolonged Maternity Leave
According to Kimori, Kihika’s absence is a breach of Kenyan regulations, which grant a maximum of 90 days for maternity leave. He argues that this extended leave has resulted in the neglect of essential services, most notably the closure of War Memorial Hospital. This shutdown has deprived thousands of the healthcare they desperately need, aggravating the already strained health system in the region.
Kimori’s letter, which was also sent to Kenyan President William Ruto, claims that her continued absence despite receiving a salary is a violation of her constitutional duties. Although her social media feeds are active, showcasing several infrastructure initiatives such as roads and water projects through the FLLoCA climate effort, these updates do little to address the core of the issue: her absence.
Defense and Debate: The Leadership and Motherhood Dilemma
Governor Kihika's absence isn't only a local matter; it's sparked a broader discourse on the challenges faced by women in leadership, particularly those balancing motherhood. Prominent figures like Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda and Kisii Woman Representative Donya Dorice have come to Kihika's defense. They argue that scrutinizing Kihika so harshly underscores a lack of empathy toward female leaders who juggle numerous responsibilities.
Mutinda highlighted the demanding nature of motherhood and called for understanding, while Dorice questioned the fairness of singling out Kihika when many male leaders receive leniency under similar circumstances. The topic echoes louder with a county assembly petition backed by over 2,000 signatures demanding action and accountability.
While these debates over absentee governance and gender dynamics swirl, the main players in this unfolding drama, Trump and Ruto, have yet to offer any official response. Meanwhile, Kihika’s administration continues to push forward with development projects, albeit remotely, leaving the Nakuru community waiting, watching, and wondering about their governor's next move.
Kaviya A March 28, 2025
she just had a baby why are we acting like she abandoned the county lmao
Nilisha Shah March 28, 2025
The structural implications of prolonged maternal leave in public office require a nuanced policy framework that balances biological imperatives with institutional accountability. The erosion of public trust stems not from individual failure, but from systemic inflexibility in governance models designed for a pre-21st century workforce.
Supreet Grover March 28, 2025
The FLLoCA climate initiative's implementation metrics indicate a 47% increase in infrastructure rollout despite remote leadership, suggesting that asynchronous governance models may be more efficient than traditional presence-based paradigms.
Saurabh Jain March 29, 2025
This is a conversation about gender, not governance. In India, we see female leaders managing entire states while raising children. The real issue isn't absence-it's whether society expects women to choose between motherhood and power.
Suman Sourav Prasad March 30, 2025
I mean, she's on social media posting about roads and water projects, but the hospital's closed?? That's not leadership, that's performance art. Like, you can't just post a picture of a new road and think people forget the ER is shut down??
Nupur Anand March 30, 2025
This isn't about maternity leave-it's about the pathological narcissism of elite women who believe their biological function grants them immunity from civic duty. The fact that people are defending this as 'empowerment' is the exact reason feminism lost its moral compass.
Vivek Pujari March 31, 2025
Governor Kihika is clearly prioritizing her child over her people. 🙄 That’s not ‘motherhood’-that’s abandonment wrapped in virtue signaling. The constitution doesn’t have a ‘mom clause’.
Ajay baindara April 1, 2025
You people are pathetic. A woman has a baby and suddenly the entire county collapses? If your system can't function without one person, it was broken before she even got pregnant.
mohd Fidz09 April 1, 2025
This is what happens when you let women run things. In my village, men don’t disappear for five months. They work. They lead. They don’t post selfies from New York while their hospitals shut down. Kenya needs to wake up.
Rupesh Nandha April 2, 2025
The tension here isn't between motherhood and leadership-it's between a rigid, colonial-era bureaucracy and the evolving reality of human life. Can we design systems that don't force women to choose between their bodies and their responsibilities? Or are we still stuck in the 1950s?
suraj rangankar April 2, 2025
Look, I get it-she’s a mom. But if you’re getting paid to run a county, you show up. Period. This isn’t about gender, it’s about responsibility. You don’t get to outsource your job because you had a baby. That’s not empowerment-that’s entitlement.
Nadeem Ahmad April 3, 2025
The hospital closure is real. The social media posts are real. The silence from Nairobi is real. I’m just waiting to see who actually gets held accountable.
Aravinda Arkaje April 3, 2025
This isn't a villain story-it's a system failure. We need to stop blaming women and start fixing the structures that make it impossible for them to thrive in leadership without sacrificing their families. Support her. Fix the system. Don't cry for deportation.
kunal Dutta April 3, 2025
Let’s be real-this is a PR stunt disguised as a petition. Trump isn’t deporting anyone from Kenya. And the fact that someone thinks this will work says more about the petitioner than the governor. Also, FLLoCA is a legit program. You can’t just ignore it because you’re mad she’s in the US.
Tanya Srivastava April 4, 2025
Wait so now maternity leave is a crime?? Next they’ll deport moms who breastfeed in public. Also why is no one talking about how male governors take ‘business trips’ for months and no one cares?? Double standards much?? 😒
Ankur Mittal April 4, 2025
The hospital closure is a separate issue from her absence. Investigate the administrators, not the governor.
Diksha Sharma April 4, 2025
This is all a distraction. The real story? The US is paying her to leak Kenyan infrastructure data. That’s why she’s been gone so long. Trump’s in on it. They’re building a secret base in Nakuru. You think the hospital shutdown is an accident? Think again.
Akshat goyal April 5, 2025
Fair question. But the system needs to respond.
anand verma April 5, 2025
The sanctity of public office demands unwavering commitment, irrespective of personal circumstance. While maternal well-being is commendable, the constitutional obligations of elected officials must supersede individual prerogatives. A governance vacuum, however temporary, constitutes a breach of the social contract.
Amrit Moghariya April 5, 2025
So she’s on vacation in the US while people can’t get basic healthcare? Classic. And the people defending her are the same ones who’d be screaming if a man did this. Wake up. This isn’t feminism-it’s hypocrisy with a baby carrier.