Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu’s legal battle has taken a new twist after his lawyers revealed he is unable to secure a bank willing to underwrite his Sh53.5 million bail bond, despite a court order allowing him temporary release pending appeal.
Waititu, who was convicted in February and handed a 12-year jail term or an alternative fine of Sh53.5 million over a Sh588 million road tender scandal, remains in custody at Kamiti Prison. His lawyer, Chris Mutuku, told the High Court on Wednesday that efforts to obtain a bank guarantee had stalled, leaving his client behind bars.
Mutuku pleaded with Justice Lucy Njuguna to revise the tough bail condition, asking that the bond be converted into a Sh20 million cash bail instead. He argued that banks have declined to extend the guarantee due to stringent requirements and that Waititu’s deteriorating health, which has seen him admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital, should weigh heavily in the court’s consideration.
“The difficulty in securing a guarantor has left our client in remand despite the court’s earlier orders. He is unwell and continues to receive treatment,” Mutuku told the judge.
But Justice Njuguna pushed back, noting that the decision to impose a bank guarantee had been made at Waititu’s own request when he expressed confidence in obtaining one. The judge declined to review the conditions immediately but granted the defense permission to renew its application when the case is mentioned again next Monday.
The former governor, popularly known as “Baba Yao,” has been a central figure in corruption debates since his ouster from Kiambu politics. His struggle to raise the bail highlights not only his personal woes but also the judiciary’s tougher stance on high-profile graft cases.
Observers say the development will test whether courts are willing to relax financial conditions for influential figures, or if it signals a shift towards stricter accountability in public office corruption cases.
