Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has been sentenced to 12 years in prison or pay a fine of Ksh 52.5 million after being found guilty of corruption in a Ksh 588 million road tender scandal. The verdict was delivered on Thursday at the Milimani Law Courts by Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzyoki.
Waititu’s wife, Susan Wangari, was also convicted and given the option of paying a Ksh 500,000 fine or serving a one-year jail term. Businessman Charles Chege, the director of Testimony Enterprises Ltd, was sentenced to nine years in prison unless he pays a fine of Ksh 295 million.
The case, which has been ongoing for five years, was investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). The court found that Waititu and his associates manipulated the procurement process to award a lucrative road construction tender to Testimony Enterprises Ltd, a company linked to him. Evidence showed that Waititu personally benefited from the deal, receiving Ksh 25.6 million through businesses associated with him.
Magistrate Nzyoki dismissed Waititu’s claim that the case was politically motivated, stating that the prosecution had provided solid evidence, including testimonies from 32 witnesses and 129 documents.
The former governor now becomes the second in Kenya’s history to be jailed for corruption, following former Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal’s conviction. Alongside their prison terms, Waititu, Wangari, and other convicted officials have been barred from holding public office for the next ten years.
After sentencing, Waititu requested medical attention, but the court ruled that prison authorities would handle the matter. He and his co-accused were taken to the Industrial Area Remand Prison.
