Arrest Waititu, DPP Haji orders
Ferdinand Waititu is set to see the courts after DPP Noordin Haji ordered his arrest on Friday evening. The arrest order comes after the Kiambu Governor and 12 others were accused of squandering county funds and illegally awarding tenders for roads upgrade. “The questionable shs 588 million contract to upgrade roads in Thika, Limuru, Gatundu North, Juja and Ruiru subcounties were not done in accordance to procurement law”, said the DPP in a statement. The contract was awarded to Testimony Enterprises.
The order to arrest Governor Waititu comes a week after the DPP had ordered for the arrest of Henry Rotich who alongside 25 others including his PS Kamau Thugge are accused of mismanaging funds meant for dam construction in Arror and Kimwarer. Earlier in May, Waititu was arrested over graft allegations but he got his way through when judge Brian Khaemba of Kiambu law courts granted him anticipatory bail. The anticipatory bail has since earned Judge Khaemba a suspension from Chief Justice David Maraga. ““Khaemba conducted himself in a manner likely to suggest that he has a personal interest in the matter. It was public knowledge that Khaemba was on sick leave as the same was announced to litigants during the morning briefing,” Maraga said in the suspension letter.
If arrested today, Waititu is expected to appear before the courts on Monday to answer to the charges, but just like the CS Treasury and his PS Thugge, Kenyans expect Waititu to be released on bond or cash bail.
The arrest of high profile individuals has given a few Kenyans the hopes that finally something is being done in the fight against corruption, but until now Kenya is yet to witness conviction of high profile individuals. Just recently, former City Hall Chief Finance Officer Jimmy Kiamba was ordered to pay the government Shs 317 million, and after paying the government that sum of money he will remain a free man. This type of ruling doesn’t sound well in a society when if one steals a chicken, is jailed for more than 2 years even after returning the stolen chicken.
See also: Meet Dr Julius Monzi Muia, the current Treasury PS
