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The Nairobi High Court has ordered the release of former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu on a Sh53 million bank-guarantee bond.
The decision allows Waititu to remain out of custody while his appeal against both conviction and sentence proceeds.
His lawyers cited chest pains and high blood pressure when applying for bail; earlier applications in March and May had been dismissed on grounds that the appeal would be heard expeditiously and that prison clinics could address his medical needs.
Conviction and sentence
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Waititu was convicted on February 12, 2025, alongside his wife, Susan Wangari Ndung’u, and three co-accused for their roles in a Sh588 million road-tender scandal.
Former Governor Ferdinand Waititu
The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court found that in 2018 the Kiambu County government irregularly awarded a contract to upgrade gravel roads to bitumen to Testimony Enterprises.
That company was discovered to be linked to the governor through undeclared property interests.
Prosecutors presented bank statements and transaction records showing at least Sh25.6million in kickbacks channelled to entities owned by Waititu and his wife.
They were found guilty of conflict of interest, abuse of office and fraudulent procurement.
The court ruled that county officials had manipulated the tender evaluation process to favour the governor’s preferred bidder and had sidelined other firms with valid technical and financial proposals.
Barred from holding office
At sentencing, Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki imposed a fine of Sh53.5million on Waititu or a 12-year prison term.
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Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu
His wife was fined Sh500,000 or one year in prison.
The judgment also barred Waititu from holding public office for ten years and froze his assets, valued at approximately Sh1.9billion, pending the outcome of his appeal.
READ ALSO: Court sentences ex-governor Waititu and wife in Sh588 million case
Implications
The Sh588 million allocated for rural road upgrades had raised expectations of smoother commutes, lower vehicle maintenance costs and better access to markets for farmers in Kiambu.
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Ferdinand Waititu
Instead, delays and allegations of procurement fraud eroded public trust and slowed service delivery.
As the appeal progresses, taxpayers will track whether the courts uphold the conviction and fines or overturn key findings.
READ ALSO: Waititu rushed to hospital: Health challenges, Valentines Day like no other & his new home
The outcome will influence future anti-corruption efforts, shape enforcement of procurement regulations and signal to county officials nationwide the consequences of mismanaging public funds.