Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has opened up about her decision to travel to the United States to give birth to her twins, citing personal and professional considerations.
Speaking in her native Kikuyu language during a recent event, the Nakuru County boss explained that delivering in a local hospital would have placed her in an uncomfortable situation, as most healthcare professionals in the county are under her leadership.
“Women, you all know that one of our jobs is to have babies. Just because I am the Governor does not mean I can’t have babies for my husband,” said Kihika.
“Also, you all know I am the Nakuru County Governor. All doctors and nurses work under me. Did you really want me to be spread on a table with the same doctors helping me deliver?”
Governor Kihika added that such a situation could have compromised her professional dynamic with the county’s medical staff.
“Then, when we go for meetings, will the same doctors be looking at me in the same way?” she posed, highlighting her concerns about dignity and professional boundaries.
Her remarks sparked mixed reactions online, with some praising her candidness, while others criticized her choice to seek healthcare abroad.
See below a few comments from X users:
- – “Going by this analogy her gynaecologist is from America as well,” – @IAMRAPCHA
- – “Going by this analogy, her husband is still beneath her so technically he is also not allowed to see her nakedness. So is he the real biological father?” – @ndisyer
- – “Susan Kihika says she “couldn’t expose herself to her juniors” so she flew to the US for treatment. Is this a governor or a glorified clown? You want juniors to vote for you, chant for you, fight for you but when you’re sick, suddenly they’re beneath you? Nonsense. You’re not a queen, you’re a public servant.” – @georgenjoroge_
In response, the Governor promised to construct an ultra-modern maternity facility in Nakuru County, aiming to ensure that women in the region can access world-class maternal healthcare without needing to travel abroad.
“I want all women in Nakuru to have access to the kind of care I received in the U.S.,” she said, noting she stayed in the U.S. for nearly five months before and after the birth.
