A Sh588 million road tender has cost former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu his latest legal battle, with the High Court upholding his 12-year prison sentence and overturning his acquittal on money laundering charges in a major blow to the former county boss.
The High Court upheld Waititu’s conviction and 12-year prison sentence in a corruption case involving the irregular award of a Sh588 million road construction contract by the Kiambu County Government.
Justice Rose Ougo dismissed appeals by Waititu and his co-accused, businessman Charles Chege Mbuthia and former county chief officer Luka Mwangi Wahinya, ruling that the prosecution had proved their involvement in the irregular procurement of the road works.
The case dates back to the 2017/2018 financial year, when the Kiambu County Government awarded a road construction contract worth approximately Sh588 million to Testimony Enterprises Limited.
The contract involved upgrading gravel roads to bitumen standards in several areas, including Thika, Limuru, Gatundu North, Juja and Ruiru.
Investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) focused on allegations of irregular procurement and the movement of money linked to the contract.
Waititu was found guilty of corruptly receiving approximately Sh25 million from Testimony Enterprises Limited, the company awarded the tender. The prosecution linked the payment to the former governor’s role in the dealings surrounding the multimillion-shilling contract.
On February 13, 2025, Waititu was sentenced to 12 years in prison or an alternative fine of approximately Sh53 million after being convicted of corruption-related offences, including conflict of interest and dealing with suspect property.
The court also barred him from holding public office for a period of 10 years.
His wife, Susan Wangari, received a one-year prison sentence or an alternative fine of Sh500,000 over related offences. Other individuals linked to the tender also faced convictions and penalties.
Waititu’s legal troubles continued after his conviction, as he sought to challenge the sentence and secure his release while pursuing an appeal.
In 2025, the court granted him an opportunity to secure release through a bank guarantee of approximately Sh53.5 million. However, his legal team later argued that obtaining the guarantee had proved difficult.
In February 2026, the court allowed revised bail terms of Sh20 million in cash or alternative property backed security, enabling him to secure temporary freedom as his appeal proceeded.
That reprieve has now been overturned following the High Court’s latest ruling, which upheld his conviction and sentence and cancelled the revised bail arrangements.
In another significant development, Justice Ougo overturned the earlier acquittal of Waititu, his wife and two co-accused on money laundering charges linked to the same corruption case.
The judge entered convictions on the relevant counts and directed that the accused persons return to the magistrate’s court for mitigation and sentencing.
The court further directed that any sentences imposed on the money laundering charges run concurrently with the sentences already imposed in the corruption case.
The ruling marks another setback for the former governor, whose attempts to overturn his conviction have failed.
For the prosecution, the decision reinforces the fight against corruption in public procurement, particularly where government contracts worth hundreds of millions of shillings are involved.
The case now serves as a stark reminder that public office does not shield leaders from the consequences of corruption convictions, even years after the contracts in question were awarded.
