Former Kenyan Governor Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Corruption

A former governor in Kenya has been handed a 12-year prison sentence over corruption charges, marking a significant step in the country’s anti-graft efforts.

On Thursday, a Kenyan court sentenced a former governor to 12 years in prison for corruption, along with his wife and three additional individuals.

Ferdinand Waititu, the former governor of Kiambu County, is among the most prominent officials to be convicted as part of the government’s anti-corruption initiative.

The state prosecution service issued a statement announcing that the Nairobi court had convicted him of fraud and conflict of interest.

According to local media reports, he was accused by prosecutors of improperly awarding road construction contracts worth 588 million Kenyan shillings ($4.5 million).

In his decision, Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki sentenced Waititu to a fine of 53 million Kenyan shillings ($400,000), or alternatively, a 12-year prison term. Furthermore, the convicted parties were prohibited from holding public office for ten years.

The road project under discussion aimed to upgrade gravel roads in Kiambu, where Waititu was impeached and removed from office in 2020.

His wife was additionally sentenced to either one year in prison or a fine of 500,000 Kenyan shillings (equivalent to $3,869).

Waititu is now the second former governor in Kenya to be sentenced to prison for corruption, in a country where such cases frequently encounter lengthy delays and sometimes never lead to imprisonment.