When Governor Susan Kihika meets grassroots opinion leaders, it is more than just a political event — it is a leadership tradition anchored in accountability, service, and dialogue. These midterm tours, framed as her three-year development report, are a deliberate choice to go back to the people, speak to them directly, and demonstrate her record on the ground. For residents, this is not theory or paperwork; it is a lived reality they can see in their neighborhoods — a new classroom, a working dispensary, a gravelled road, or clean water flowing from a borehole.

Her critics once tried to convince wananchi that she was doing nothing. They spread propaganda, hoping to shake public confidence. But now, with each tour, those lies collapse under the weight of evidence. Mwananchi can point at projects near them and say with confidence: “Here is what she has delivered.” In every stop, from hospitals to markets, from water projects to youth empowerment programs, to ECDEs the Governor’s development record is visible and relatable. She has set the bar high — proving that real leadership is measured in results, not empty speeches.

The tours also serve another purpose: they give Governor Kihika the opportunity to listen keenly to opinion leaders. These are the people who know the heartbeat of the community, the urgent priorities, and the pressing needs of the wards. By engaging them, she doesn’t just showcase what has been achieved; she also shapes the next phase of her agenda around the people’s voices. This dialogue makes her development program both people-driven and people-owned, ensuring that Nakuru’s transformation is not imposed from the top but grown from the grassroots.

Already, she has visited Naivasha, Kuresoi North and South, Rongai, Bahati, Nakuru Town West and East, and today she’s in Gilgil. Soon, Subukia, Molo, and Njoro will host her as well. By the time she completes this circuit, every subcounty will have experienced her presence firsthand. These tours are redefining county leadership, bringing the Governor closer to the people, and setting a benchmark that others can only aspire to reach.

What stands out is the blend of delivery and listening. Governor Susan Kihika has silenced her critics not with words but with visible progress. She has reaffirmed that true leadership is about both doing and listening — acting on what people need, and ensuring every ward feels the impact of her administration. In the eyes of the people, she is not just a leader passing through but a performer whose work and inclusivity make her a natural choice for continuity.

If this is only the midterm report, imagine the transformation still ahead for Nakuru.

By Arnold Okere

Political Analyst and Blogger