A Kenyan court has sentenced former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu to 12 years in prison for corruption, along with his wife and three others.
The ruling follows charges of fraud and conflict of interest in the awarding of road-building contracts worth 588 million Kenyan shillings ($4.5 million).
Waititu, a prominent figure in the country, was convicted under the government’s ongoing anti-corruption efforts.
The court found him guilty of misusing his position in the awarding of the contracts, which were intended to pave gravel roads in Kiambu County. Waititu had been impeached and removed from office in 2020.
Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki imposed a fine of 53 million Kenyan shillings ($400,000) on Waititu, with the alternative of a 12-year prison sentence. His wife received a one-year sentence or a fine of 500,000 shillings ($3,869).
This marks the second time an ex-governor in Kenya has been jailed for corruption, highlighting the country’s ongoing struggle with such cases.
