Nakuru County Deputy Governor, David Kones, has defended the long absence of his boss, Governor Susan Kihika.
Speaking on Wednesday, Kones stated that the governor was well within her rights to be missing in action and that the right parameters had been followed before she left for maternity leave.
He further emphasised that there was no vacuum in running the county as Governor Kihika had entrusted him to run the county activities during her absence.
"The Governor stated very clearly when she went to the USA to deliver. She wrote a letter and it was circulated on all platforms that the county work has been given to the deputy governor to chair all meetings and run the county smoothly," he stated.
"The governor has a lot of faith in me with officers working the county, so there is no vacuum. I want to state it very clearly. People do not want to wait, they want to see me shouting here and there or chest-thumping when the governor is not there. I still remain the deputy governor as the governor is there and I am supporting her in all ways, 24/7."
This address came just a day after Evans Kimori, a Kenyan living in Nakuru County, penned a petition to United States President Donald Trump advocating for her deportation.
In his letter, he alleged that the embattled governor had been in the US for five months citing maternity leave, although only three months were allowed for maternity leave in Kenya.
"Governor Kihika, elected in August 2022, has allegedly been seeking maternity and newborn medical attention in the USA for an extended period. While maternity leave is recognized under Kenyan law for up to 90 days, she has been absent for nearly five months, creating a leadership vacuum in Nakuru County," part of the letter read.
DG Kones joins the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) in defending Kihika, who has faced a barrage of criticism from most Nakuru residents, including Senator Tabitha Karanja, over her absence.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, March 26, KEWOPA termed the attacks as gender-specific and urged her critics to let her heal after reportedly delivering twins in the US.
Led by Kisii Women Representative Doris Donya, they urged the residents to stop the continued attacks on the Governor and affirmed her right to maternity leave just like any other Kenyan.
"We affirm that Her Excellency Susan Kihika, just like any other parent, has the right to maternity leave to care for her child. We therefore demand the following: one, an end to gender-based attacks on Governor Susan Kihika and all our women leaders," they stated.
"Two, respect for the rights of women leaders to take legally recognized maternity leave without facing political bullying, because that is exactly what is happening to Governor Kihika right now, and three, a fair political environment."
