Former Kiambu governor Waititu fined Sh21 million, faces 13 Years in jail over money laundering

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 2 – Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has been fined KSh21 million following his conviction in a money laundering case, with the court imposing a total of 13 years in alternative prison sentences should he fail to pay the fines. However, the prison terms are to run concurrently, meaning Waititu will serve five years in jail rather than 13 years if he defaults on the fines. The KSh21 million fine was imposed across three counts, with Waititu ordered to pay KSh10 million on Count 10, KSh6 million on Count 11 and KSh5 million on Count 12. The sentence relates to three money laundering counts arising from the controversial KSh588.7 million road construction tender awarded by the Kiambu County Government during the 2017/2018 financial year. Waititu was sentenced to five years on Count 10, four years on Count 11 and another four years on Count 12. The court imposed the respective fines as an alternative to imprisonment. The case also involves Waititu’s wife, Susan Wangari Ndung’u, former Kiambu County Chief Officer for Roads Luka Mwangi Wahinya and businessman Charles Chege Mbuthia, whose company, Testimony Enterprises Limited, was linked to the road construction contract. However, the latest sentence does not mean Waititu will serve an additional 13 years behind bars. The court directed that the money laundering sentences run concurrently with the 12-year prison term he received in February 2025 in the separate corruption case. This means the latest sentences will run alongside his existing prison term rather than being added to it. The longest default sentence on the three money laundering counts is five years. The money laundering convictions followed a successful appeal by the State, which challenged an earlier decision acquitting Waititu and other accused persons of the charges. In October 2026, High Court Judge Rose Ougo overturned the acquittals on three money laundering counts, finding that the prosecution had established that funds linked to the controversial road tender were transferred through companies associated with the accused. The case centres on a KSh588.7 million contract awarded to Testimony Enterprises Limited for upgrading gravel roads to bitumen standards in Thika, Limuru, Gatundu North, Juja and Ruiru during the 2017/2018 financial year. Investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) established that Waititu had corruptly received KSh25 million from the company. Waititu was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison or pay a fine of approximately KSh53 million in February 2025 after being convicted of corruption-related offences. His wife, Susan Wangari Ndung’u, was also convicted in the case and sentenced to one year in prison or a KSh500,000 fine.