Nyandarua Deputy Governor's absence worrying

Nyandarua County Deputy Governor Cecilia Mbuthia and Rev Dr. (Fr) Dominic Wakimani Wamugunda at Nyandarua County Assembly Grounds. [John Githinji]

Where is Deputy Governor Cecilia Mbuthia? This is the question many residents have been asking for the past three months.

Ms Mbuthia was last seen in public on June 1 during Madaraka Day celebrations at Ndaragwa Stadium.

Since then, she has not been at the county headquarters in Ol Kalou town or spotted in any other public forum.

The county executive has been silent over her absence, with Governor Francis Kimemia's spokesperson Mbugua Muchoki dismissing concerns about her whereabouts.

“Ms Mbuthia is still in office and very busy serving the people of Nyandarua. It is not a must that she accompanies the governor to every function,” said Mr Muchoki, the director of the Governor's Press Department.

Last week's visit by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta to Engineer town, during the Beyond Zero Medical Safari, made the public more curious about the DG's whereabouts.

Disappointed residents

Residents said they expected her to play a role at the event that touches on matters affecting women.

Her absence at the event triggered a social media frenzy with followers in the county government's Facebook page asking about her whereabouts.

Peter Mugambi wrote: "I expected our deputy governor to be at the forefront during the free medical camp since she is like our mother and comes from Kinangop. To my surprise, she was nowhere in sight."

Ms Alice Wahome wrote: “Our mummy Cecilia is missing. Where could she be?”

A tweet from Joseph Mbugua read: “It is disappointing to see our father Governor Kimemia traversing the county alone while we do not know the whereabouts of the deputy governor. Is something amiss?

A relative who sought anonymity said they were also in the dark.

Political activists led by Macithi Macithi have demanded a statement on the matter. They want the county assembly to compel the executive to reveal the whereabouts of Mbuthia.