Nakuru County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura's sudden disappearance sparks murmurs

Nakuru County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura has for a while been missing in action.

He, who is among the most visible and vocal officials in Governor Susan Kihika's administration, has not been seen in public county engagements for nearly two months, raising questions about his whereabouts and role within the county government.

For much of Governor Kihika's tenure, Dr Mwaura has regularly represented the governor at official functions, chaired high-level meetings, issued statements on county affairs, and has often been the administration's public defender whenever criticism arose.

However, his public appearances have noticeably dwindled.

The last recorded official engagement, according to the county’s official Facebook page, featuring the County Secretary, was on May 14, 2025, when he met officials from the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) at his office.

During the meeting, led by Senior Drought Information Officer Esther Barasa, the two discussed Nakuru's participation in the second phase of the Ending Drought Emergencies programme, with Dr Mwaura assuring the agency of the county's support.

Before that, on April 26, Dr Mwaura represented Governor Kihika at a fundraiser for the construction of the Subukia–Kianda Sana–Kanyotu Akurino Church in Waseges Ward, where he presented the county government's contribution towards the project.

Since then, he has not featured in official county events, media briefings or public engagements despite the county government continuing to hold numerous functions attended by other senior officials.

His absence has become more noticeable in recent weeks as Governor Kihika's administration has come under increased public scrutiny, including during her appearance before the Senate over governance and service delivery concerns.

In the past, Dr Mwaura has often been at the forefront of responding to criticism directed at the county government, frequently addressing the media to defend the administration's policies, clarify contentious issues, and communicate key government positions.

This time, however, he has remained silent.

County events have instead largely been led by Deputy County Secretary and other senior officials, with the County Secretary absent from both official photographs and public communication.

The County Government of Nakuru did not publicly communicate any change regarding his status as County Secretary.

The County Chief of Staff, Dr Peter Ketyenya, when contacted , however, maintains that the County Secretary is well and had proceeded on official leave.

"The County Secretary is okay. He just took his normal leave, and he's going to be resuming soon" he notes.