Sacred exposure: ‘I could not expose myself to my juniors,’ Governor Kihika justifies US birth
In a video footage that has since gone viral, while addressing jubilant crowd in her native Gikuyu language, Kihika continued to say it would have been inappropriate for her "juniors" to see her naked
Nakuru governor Susan Kihika ruled out the possibility of exposing her body during childbirth to her juniors, in reference to local medical practitioners in an apparent justification why she chose to give birth to her twin angels in the United States of America (USA).
In a video footage that has since gone viral, while addressing jubilant crowd in her native Gikuyu language, Kihika continued to say it would have been inappropriate for her “juniors” to see her naked.
“Women, you know our job (having babies). Just because I am the governor, does it mean I can’t have babies? Also, you know I am the governor. All doctors and nurses are under me. Did you really want me to lay on a table with the same doctors helping me deliver?” she posed.
Kihika made the remarks during Madaraka Day celebrations held at Heroes Technical Vocational College in Bahati Sub-county, where area MP Irene Njoki and other local leaders were present.
“Then, when we go for meetings, will the same doctors be looking at me in the same way?” she added, prompting cheers from the crowd. She then promised to build a maternity facility to enable more women to “enjoy services like the ones I did.”
Her comments, however, have drawn a barrage of attacks on social media with many netizens taking issue with her reference to healthcare workers as her subordinates.
Others contend that her utterances were demeaning to the medical practitioners.
Some even accused her of undermining local healthcare, pointing to her alleged role in the closure of Nakuru Memorial Hospital.
An X user, George Njoroge, posted: “Susan Kihika says she couldn’t expose herself to her juniors, so she flew to the U.S. for treatment. You want juniors to vote for you, chant for you, fight for you but when you’re sick, suddenly they’re beneath you?”
Others compared her actions to former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, who underwent surgery in 2022 at the Makueni County Referral Hospital.
“Kivutha Kibwana had surgery with his people. Reject this backward mentality, Nakuru. Demand better,” Njoroge added.
Journalist Lynn Ngugi also criticized the governor for not leading by example. “The same public health system she oversees isn’t good enough for her own childbirth because modesty outweighs medical professionalism? Does she not trust Kenyan doctors to uphold ethics and confidentiality?”
Another X user wondered who she could not get the services in other hospitals like the Kenyatta National Hospital which is kilometers away from Nakuru if she did to want to be attended by her ‘juniors’. ”Does KNH look like Nakuru?” she wondered.
Kihika, who gave birth to twin boys, returned to Kenya on April 25, 2025, after spending over five months in the U.S.
Governor Kihika recently returned to the country after a five-month stay abroad, during which she gave birth to twin babies in the United States.
Upon her return, she hosted a group of friends and colleagues who came to officially welcome her and her children back home.
“Truly blessed and overwhelmed with gratitude. Was deeply humbled and honored to receive a warm visit from my dear friends who came to welcome me home and celebrate the arrival of my twin babies,” she wrote on Facebook.
“Your love, prayers, and presence mean the world to me and my family. Thank you for standing with me in this special season of double blessings,” she added.
Her extended absence had previously sparked concerns among constituents, with many questioning the accountability of leaders who take lengthy breaks abroad while in office.
