Waititu’s Bid to Ease Ksh53m Bond Terms Fails

Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has suffered another setback in his long-running legal battles after the Court of Appeal declined to vary his bond terms.

Waititu had asked the court to replace the requirement of a Ksh53 million bank guarantee with a cash deposit, arguing that he had been unable to raise the guarantee since it was imposed. His plea was, however, rejected by Justice Lucy Njuguna, who ruled that the bond conditions would remain unchanged.

The decision effectively keeps Waititu in custody unless he secures the hefty guarantee. For the former governor, who has faced multiple corruption-related charges since his impeachment in 2020, the ruling marks yet another hurdle in his attempt to secure freedom while pursuing appeals.

Waititu’s lawyers had argued that the conditions were too harsh and had curtailed his right to bail, but the court held that altering the bond terms at this stage would interfere with the earlier orders of the trial court.

In addition, the appellate court directed that the main appeal be heard and concluded within 120 days, a move aimed at fast-tracking the resolution of the case.

The ruling underscores the judiciary’s firm stance on corruption-related cases, where courts have increasingly imposed tough bond terms to ensure accountability. For Waititu, however, it prolongs a legal battle that has already stretched for years and continues to cast a shadow over his political career.