The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has sued to recover unexplained wealth worth over Ksh1.9 billion from former Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu.
The wealth is owned in the name of his close family members and his companies including his wife Susan Wangari (928.9 million), Saika Two Estate Developers Limited (Ksh906.3 million), Bienvenue Delta Hotel (Ksh56.9 million) and Bins Management Services Limited (Ksh62.7 million).
The wealth, according to EACC, was acquired during Waititu’s tenure as MP for Kabete Constituency between 2015 and 2017 and as Governor for the County Government of Kiambu between 2017 and 2020.
EACC is eyeing Waititu’s five luxury motor vehicles, 15 properties including in the upmarket suburbs of Runda, Migaa and Thindigua, and three multi-storey buildings situated in Nairobi Central Business District. Some of the assets are registered in the names of companies, namely Saika Two Estate Developers, Bienvenue Delta Hotel and Bins Management Services Limited.
“The Governor engaged in schemes to embezzle public funds through fictitious and/or fraudulent procurement contracts. He concealed or otherwise disguised his private interest in tenders awarded to companies contracted to offer services to the County Government of Kiambu. The contractors, upon payment transferred proceeds of the fictitious/fraudulent procurement contracts to Mr Waititu, his wife (Susan Wangari) and their companies – Saika Two Estates Developers Limited, Bienvenue Delta Hotel and Bins Management Services Limited as kick-backs. The Governor further directly traded with the County through companies registered in the names of his wife, and their daughter – Suwanga Limited, Connex Logistics Africa Limited, and Modiba Management Services Limited,” EACC said in a statement.
Among the properties targeted include Jamii Bora Building worth Ksh200 million, Delta Hotel worth Ksh380 million, Biashara shopping Mall worth Ksh110 million, and Runda Grove worth over Ksh96 million among others.
“The case against Waititu is part of the EACC strategy to recover public funds and assets from a number of Governors who are suspected to have accumulated unexplained wealth amounting to billions of Kenya Shillings during their tenure. EACC is shocked by the gross magnitude of looting of public resources revealed by the investigations undertaken so far. The Commission has profiled most of the County Governors and notes that the majority of them have taken their tenure in office as an opportunity for self-enrichment,” said EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak.
