Susan Kihika’s leadership in Nakuru County has been marred by serious financial mismanagement, outright violations of regulations, and questionable spending. Her administration’s handling of public funds raises serious concerns, especially as she continues to live a lavish lifestyle, even traveling to the United States to give birth while her county struggles with financial chaos.
According to the recent report from the auditor general, Nakuru County has been operating 15 accounts with commercial banks instead of using the Central Bank of Kenya, a clear violation of financial regulations. This kind of malpractice increases the risk of fraud and misappropriation of funds.
Meanwhile, 77 employees beyond the mandatory retirement age continue to receive salaries totaling Sh36.17 million, a direct breach of employment policies. These ghost workers contribute nothing but still take home money that could be used to improve service delivery.
The county’s handling of public assets is also a mess. Nakuru lacks ownership documents for 996 parcels of land and logbooks for 445 motor vehicles. This creates an opportunity for fraudulent land transactions and illegal vehicle disposals.
Some schools, like Njoro Central DEB Primary School, are facing land disputes due to encroachments, putting education facilities at risk.
Financial mismanagement is evident in almost every department. There was a Sh104.99 million decrease in deposits and retentions that was never accounted for in the county’s cash flow statement.
The payroll is riddled with inconsistencies, with Sh6.45 billion spent on salaries showing clear mismatches. A staggering Sh445.9 million is missing from permanent staff salaries, Sh182.8 million was paid in excess to temporary staff, Sh243.3 million was irregularly spent on personal allowances, Sh12.4 million was underpaid in pension contributions, and another Sh30.7 million was misallocated for personnel payments.
Travel and training expenses in the county are another avenue for looting. Sh366.83 million was spent on travel, including Sh19.57 million for training that had no training needs assessment or a clear nomination process.
Another Sh93.3 million was spent on training without a policy or proof that the courses provided any value to the county. Funds meant for domestic travel amounting to Sh5.9 million were wrongly classified as foreign travel, while Sh15.9 million was misclassified under routine maintenance of assets.
These classification errors are not innocent mistakes but deliberate attempts to conceal wasteful spending.Corrupt legal expenses also expose Kihika’s administration.
A total of Sh22.6 million was paid to law firms without proper documentation or approvals. This suggests that either the legal services were never provided or that the county paid for services at inflated rates.
The county’s budget shortfall stands at Sh6.95 billion, with Sh701.3 million left unspent, yet critical services remain underfunded.
At the same time, Nakuru is weighed down by pending bills of Sh1.4 billion, some dating back to 2011, and there is no Pending Bills Committee to verify them.
The Department of Lands made land acquisitions worth Sh15.49 million but lacked approvals and documentation for some transactions. Payments for land in Elementaita were made years after the agreements, suggesting dubious deals. Many land transfers and consents remain incomplete or missing.
The Department of Water and Irrigation spent Sh84.5 million on water projects, yet many of these projects failed due to missing signposts, incomplete pipe installations, and a lack of water distribution, raising suspicions of misappropriation.
While all these scandals pile up, Susan Kihika has time to fly to the United States to give birth, enjoying the benefits of a well-functioning healthcare system while Nakuru residents suffer due to mismanagement.
Public hospitals in the county are in a dire state, yet the governor sees no urgency in improving them. Instead, funds are misused, misplaced, and misappropriated while the people of Nakuru continue to struggle.
Kihika’s administration is proving to be a textbook example of corruption, mismanagement, and misplaced priorities, leaving Nakuru County in financial ruin.
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