Kihika turns her anger at journalists, downplays her administration's blunders

Governor Susan Kihika has turned the heat over her recent public criticism to journalists blaming them for unfavorable reporting.

Speaking at a public gathering in Bahati on September 8, Kihika made scathing attacks on the media, who she said were spreading negative propaganda about her leadership.

While reacting to the recent claims relating to her government's inefficiencies, Kihika chose to defend herself by dismissing critical reporting as baseless rumours (mushene). 

Addressing the residents in her vernacular(Kikuyu), the governor went ahead to urge her supporters to ignore the media reports.

The governor recently failed to explain glaring audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor General over her government’s usage of public funds.

She selectively chose to dismiss reports of children being held at Nakuru Level Five Hospital (PGH) over unpaid bills.

“Whatever the media is relaying is mushene with no basis. Even when I was seeking the governor seat the media was against me. Let them continue their propaganda reporting,” she says firmly in Kikuyu dialect.

The governor also downplayed a story from Naivasha, where a family went public after losing a loved one and failing to raise the full hospital bill.

 “I was already on it. I was in constant communication with SHA and Kenyatta Hospital as I tried to get a waiver for the Family. The next thing I am on the news as a person who gave false promises to the family. What would you term this other than structured propaganda,” she says.

But away from the speeches, questions about county funds, audit gaps, and stalled projects have not been clearly addressed.

Instead of attacking the media, wouldn’t it have been prudent for her to address the elephant in the room.

“Mali ya uma imetumika aje Nakuru county? “ 

Among the queries that have been raised include, Why Nakuru County does not have an audit committee as well as lacking a public service board, Chief Officer finance and a qualified head of accounting.

According to a previous publication by Mtaa Wangu on September 4,"It turns out the OAG discovered that the County had inaccuracies in compensation of employees to the tune of sh. 200 million. The chair, Kajwang’ said that without providing sufficient documentation to prove otherwise then this simply meant that there may be ghost workers in the county who have received this sh. 200 million," reads part of the publication.

Well from your view, do you think these issues need to be addressed?