Legal Status Profiles

Records

Ferdinand Waititu

Kenyan politician who served as Governor of Kiambu County from 2017 until his removal from office in January 2020.

ConvictedLatest source dated 2026-10-22Last reviewed 2026-10-26

What is Ferdinand Waititu’s legal position?

Kiambu County Sh588 million road tender (Testimony Enterprises) corruption case

Convicted

Current position. As of 26 October 2026 he stands convicted of conflict of interest, dealing with suspect property and (on the State's cross-appeal) money laundering, his first appeal having been dismissed on 14 October 2026; he is in custody awaiting sentencing on the money-laundering counts, set for 27 October 2026.[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Authority
Milimani Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate's Court; High Court of Kenya (Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division) on appeal
Status date
2026-10-14

History

  1. 2021-07-19 Arraigned with co-accused over the award of a Kiambu County road tender to Testimony Enterprises Ltd (EACC).
  2. 2025-02-12 Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki convicted him of conflict of interest and dealing with suspect property; acquitted on three money-laundering counts.
  3. 2025-02-13 Sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment or a fine (reported as about Sh52.7m-Sh53.5m) and barred from public office for 10 years under s.64 ACECA.
  4. 2025-02 Filed appeal to the High Court (Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Appeal E006 of 2025) and applied for bail pending appeal.
  5. 2025-05-08 High Court (L.M. Njuguna J) struck out a second application for bail pending appeal as res judicata.
  6. 2025-07-31 High Court reported to have allowed release on a Sh53m bond pending appeal.
  7. 2025-09-16 High Court (Lucy Njuguna J) declined to review the sentence; he remained at Kamiti Maximum Prison, not having secured bond; appeal ordered concluded within 120 days.
  8. 2026-02 High Court reviewed bail pending appeal to Sh20m cash; he was released.
  9. 2026-10-14 High Court (Rose Ougo J) dismissed his appeal, upheld convictions, sentence and 10-year office ban, allowed the State's cross-appeal and convicted him of money laundering (counts 10-12); bonds revoked and he was returned to custody.
  10. 2026-10-22 Sentencing on the money-laundering counts, listed for 19 October and then 22 October 2026 amid a defence objection that there was no trial-court conviction on those counts, was deferred to 27 October 2026.

EACC civil claims: unexplained wealth (about Sh1.94 billion) and asset recovery

Civil judgment

Current position. A December 2025 High Court order forfeited about Sh131.2 million in assets linked to him and associated parties, while a separate EACC claim for Sh170 million was reported as still pending in October 2026.[12, 13, 8, 14]

Authority
High Court of Kenya (Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division); Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission
Status date
2025-12

History

  1. 2022-05-27 EACC announced it was seeking forfeiture of Sh1.94 billion in alleged unexplained wealth.
  2. 2024-07-24 EACC published a High Court ruling in Anti-Corruption Suit No. E020 of 2022, EACC v Ferdinand Waititu & others.
  3. 2025-12 Anti-Corruption High Court ordered forfeiture of assets worth about Sh131.2 million linked to him and associated parties (reported).
  4. 2026-10 A separate EACC civil claim to recover Sh170 million from him and Testimony Enterprises Ltd was reported as pending.

Incitement-related charge over September 2024 Ruiru Stadium remarks

Charged

Current position. Reported charged in November 2025 under the Penal Code over the 2024 remarks; no outcome was found in the sources reviewed.[15]

Authority
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Kenya)
Status date
2025-11-11

History

  1. 2024-09-29 Remarks allegedly made at Ruiru Stadium, Kiambu County.
  2. 2025-11-11 Reported charged under section 94(1) of the Penal Code over the remarks; hearing set for the following week.

Sources

  1. Waititu v Republic (Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Appeal E006 of 2025) [2025] KEHC 5678 (KLR) (8 May 2025) (Ruling)Kenya Law / High Court of Kenya, 2025-05-08, primary source
  2. Ex-Governor Waititu appeals 12-year jail term, seeks bail pending outcomeCitizen Digital, 2025-02-17, secondary source
  3. Court convicts former Governor, his wife, and five others in Kes588 million road tender corruption caseEthics and Anti-Corruption Commission, 2025-02-12, primary source
  4. It's 12 years or Kes53M for former Kiambu Governor in Kes588M road contract scandal caseEthics and Anti-Corruption Commission, 2025-02-13, primary source
  5. Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu Freed on Ksh53M Bank GuaranteeKenyans.co.ke, 2025-07-31, secondary source
  6. High Court declines to review Waititu's 12-Year sentenceCitizen Digital, 2025-09-17, secondary source
  7. Waititu returns to prison after court upheld conviction in Ksh.588m graft caseCitizen Digital, 2026-10-15, secondary source
  8. EACC welcomes Waititu's conviction on money-laundering chargesThe Standard, 2026-10-15, secondary source
  9. Court convicts Waititu, wife of money laundering in Sh588m graft caseThe Star, 2026-10-14, secondary source
  10. Court defers directions in Waititu's Ksh.588M graft case amid sentencing disputeCitizen Digital, 2026-10-19, secondary source
  11. Court defers Waititu, wife's sentencing in money laundering casePeople Daily, 2026-10-22, secondary source
  12. EACC Wants Waititu's Kshs. 1.94 Billion Unexplained Wealth Forfeited to the StateEthics and Anti-Corruption Commission, 2022-05-27, primary source
  13. Ruling by Nairobi High Court Anti-Corruption Suit No. E020 of 2022 EACC v. Ferdinand Waititu & OthersEthics and Anti-Corruption Commission, 2024-07-24, primary source
  14. EACC still pursuing Waititu over Ksh.1.9B unexplained wealth, Ksh.50M fraudulent tendersCitizen Digital, 2025-02-13, secondary source
  15. Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu Faces Fresh Charges While Serving Jail TermKenyans.co.ke, 2025-11-11, secondary source

Change history

  • 2026-10-26 Record published.

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