Sh588M graft scandal: Ex-Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu handed 13-year jail term

Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has been handed an additional 13-year prison sentence following a high-profile corruption and money-laundering case involving Sh588 million siphoned from Kiambu County during his tenure.

The Milimani High Court delivered the ruling on Monday, November 2, 2026, sentencing the embattled former county chief to multiple counts that total 13 years behind bars, with an alternative fine totaling Ksh21 million.

Justice Harrison Barasa delivered the ruling after carefully weighing the gravity of the offenses, the prosecution's submissions, and the mitigation tendered by the defense.

The prison terms and accompanying fines across the specific counts include:

Count 10: Ferdinand Waititu was fined Sh10 million, with a default prison sentence of 5 years.

Count 11: The court handed him a 4-year prison term.

Count 12: He received an additional 4-year prison term.

"Having considered the mitigation tendered by the accused persons, the prosecution's submissions, the nature and the gravity of the offenses, and the applicable statutory provisions, I hereby sentence the accused persons as follows. On count 10, Ferdinand Waititu is fined Ksh10 million in default, imprisonment of 5 years," Justice Barasa ruled.

In total, the court penalized the former governor with a combined fine of Sh21 million. Failure to settle these fines will result in the execution of the alternative prison terms tied to the respective counts.

Despite the severity of the new ruling, Waititu will not be required to serve extra years behind bars beyond his existing legal obligations.

The court explicitly directed that the newly handed terms run concurrently with his existing 12-year sentence, which was imposed in February 2025 in a separate graft case.

Confirming the arrangement, the judge noted that the terms would align with prior court directives. "The sentence imposed here in the High Court had already given directions on how they will run, therefore they will run as directed by the High Court in its ruling on October 14, 2026," Justice Barasa stated.

In paragraph 317 of the judgment, Justice Rose Ougo previously directed that the sentences handed down on the three money-laundering counts must run concurrently with the penalties previously enforced under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.

The legal repercussions extend beyond the former governor. Waititu’s wife, Susan Wangari, also faced steep financial penalties and prison threats in connection with the three money-laundering counts tied to the Ksh588 million scam.

The court penalized Wangari across the same counts as follows:

Count 10: Fined Sh12 million.

Count 11: Sentenced to 2 years in prison or given an alternative fine of Sh2 million.

Count 12: Fined an additional Sh8 million.

Altogether, Susan Wangari's total fines across the three counts amount to Sh22 million.

This latest legal blow marks another milestone in Kenya’s aggressive anti-corruption prosecutions targeting county executives. The Sh588 million graft case has been a protracted legal battle drawing intense public scrutiny, given the magnitude of the public funds allegedly misappropriated during Waititu's tenure at the helm of Kiambu County.

With the latest rulings from the Milimani High Court finalized, the judiciary continues to reinforce stringent accountability measures for public officials found culpable of economic crimes and money laundering, setting a heavy legal and financial precedent for graft cases within the country's devolved units.