Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu remains in remand following the denial of his bail application in a hate speech case.The case, which has attracted national attention, was postponed on Thursday, January 15, at Milimani Law Courts after Waititu’s lawyer failed to appear for the hearing.
The postponement means that Waititu will continue to be held in custody pending the next court session, as the judge maintained that the gravity of the allegations requires him to remain in remand.
The bail application had been filed on grounds of personal circumstances and health concerns, but the court deemed the risk of interference with witnesses and ongoing investigations too high to grant release.
The hate speech case against Waititu stems from statements he allegedly made that are said to have incited tension and hatred.
During the court proceedings, it emerged that the absence of Waititu’s lawyer disrupted the scheduled hearing, prompting the judge to postpone the case to a later date.Waititu was Kiambu governor from 2017 until his impeachment in January 2020 due to corruption allegations.
In February 2025, he was convicted in a KSh588 million graft case involving fraudulent tenders and kickbacks.
He received a 12-year prison sentence or a fine of KSh53 million (about US$405,000), along with a 10-year ban from public office. After failing to pay the fine, he began serving his sentence.He later appealed and sought bail on health grounds.
On 1 August 2025, the court released him on a KSh53 million bond after two earlier applications were denied.
By Creatorhub