In a sweeping crackdown on corruption, Governor Kimani Wamatangi and eight senior county officials were arrested yesterday in a high-profile raid by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). The operation yielded Kshs. 15 million in cash, including US dollars, suspected to be embezzled public funds.
The arrests come after years of damning Auditor General reports exposing rampant financial misconduct in Kiambu County. “Each audit revealed deeper theft than the last,” said a civil society activist. “Officials kept stealing because no one held them accountable.”
Public pressure finally forced action. Grassroots movement Bunge Mashinani Initiative mobilized residents through their #TupiganeNaUfisadi campaign, equipping them with audit evidence to demand justice. “We bombarded EACC with proof until they had no choice but to act,” a campaigner revealed.
“Enough is enough,” declared a CSO leader. “This money should be building hospitals and fixing water systems—not funding lavish lifestyles for corrupt leaders.”
The governor’s arrest adds to Kiambu’s shameful legacy of graft. His predecessor, Ferdinand Waititu, is already serving a prison sentence for fraud, while former Nyandarua Governor Daniel Waithaka was similarly jailed for corruption.
“Waititu’s conviction was barely finalized before another governor landed in handcuffs,” remarked an anti-graft advocate. “This cycle must stop.” Activists are now pushing for stricter accountability measures, including rigorous enforcement of Chapter Six of the Constitution on leadership integrity. They also urge Parliament to fast-track the Whistleblower Protection Bill, ensuring witnesses can expose corruption without fear. As investigators pursue the case, residents remain cautiously optimistic. “We want every stolen shilling returned,” said a local trader, “and every corrupt official behind bars
