Senator Tabitha Karanja Demands Governor Susan Kihika’s Resignation After Jail Sentence
Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja has issued a strong ultimatum to Governor Susan Kihika, urging her to step down immediately following a series of troubling incidents in the county. These events ultimately led to the Governor’s conviction and sentencing to six months in prison on Tuesday, February 18.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Senator Karanja declared that if Kihika refuses to resign voluntarily, she will initiate an impeachment process. She further called on members of the Nakuru County Assembly (MCAs) to take swift action by impeaching the Governor. If they fail to do so, Karanja vowed to table a vote of no confidence in the Senate, stating that she already has the backing of fellow senators.
“Where are our MCAs? It is your responsibility to impeach Governor Susan Kihika. If you fail in your duty, I will personally move a vote of no confidence against her,” Karanja stated. “I urge her to resign honorably. She has failed in her leadership, and I can tell her that for free. We cannot continue living in a county where people with disabilities are protesting because their children’s bodies are missing from morgues. We also have a young man who was taken by KWS officers at Lake Nakuru, and to this day, he is still missing.”
Environmental and Governance Concerns
Apart from these disturbing incidents, Karanja also highlighted the gravity of the crime that led to Kihika’s conviction—illegally dumping waste into Lake Nakuru. She stressed that this was not just a minor environmental violation but a serious crime that affected the lives of Nakuru residents, the county’s economy, and its tourism sector.
“Our Governor has been sentenced to six months in jail or a fine of Ksh2 billion. What matters most is the reason behind her conviction,” Karanja explained. “The court had issued an order stopping the Governor from dumping sewage into Lake Nakuru, but she deliberately defied it. This is a severe offence, one that no other city in the world has experienced.”
She went on to express outrage over the potential consequences of the pollution, arguing that it endangered the lives of Nakuru residents and threatened the county’s tourism industry.
“It is as if the Governor wanted to wipe us all out. People fish in that lake, they swim in it, and our animals depend on its water. Nakuru’s famous flamingos, which are a symbol of our county, have even started migrating because of the pollution,” she lamented.
Accusations of Neglect and Corruption
Karanja did not stop there. She also criticized Governor Kihika for allegedly neglecting her duties and leaving key decisions to the County Secretary while she traveled to Texas, USA. She questioned how a leader could abandon her people, especially at a time when the county was facing serious challenges.
Despite Nakuru County receiving one of the highest budget allocations in the country, she accused the Governor’s administration of failing to deliver basic services.
“Nakuru receives the second highest county allocation after Nairobi, with Ksh15 billion in equitable share and an additional Ksh10.9 billion in local revenue. However, reports indicate that the county only collects Ksh2 billion from its own sources. So, where is the rest of the money?” Karanja asked.
She concluded by calling out rampant corruption and mismanagement within the county government, insisting that the people of Nakuru would no longer tolerate theft and incompetence.
“There is massive corruption and theft in this county, and we will not allow it any longer. Enough is enough!” she declared.
Senator Karanja’s remarks signal growing political tension in Nakuru County, with increasing pressure on Governor Kihika to step down or face an impeachment process. Whether the Governor will respond to these demands remains to be seen.
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