Kiambu MCAs lose bid to join Waititu's Sh500m graft case

The Anti-corruption court has dismissed an application by Kiambu MCAs seeking to join Governor Ferdinand Waititu graft case.

Nine MCAs on August 27 applied to be enjoined in the Sh588 million corruption case against their suspended Governor.

The MCAs, through lawyer Ndungu Gathinji, argued that they represent thousands of Kiambu residents, who are victims of the alleged corruption committed by their governor .

In a ruling on Thursday,  chief magistrate Lawrence Mugambi said the application lacked compelling reasons to join the case. 

"The averment that the MCAs want to watch over the interests of the majority of Kiambu residents does not hold water,"  Mugambi said.

He said MCAs are the watchdog at the assembly.                                                                        

Waititu’s lawyer Mbiyu Kamau said the MCAs only want to derail the case by turning it into a political contest.

“We will not allow the case to become a political contest instead of a legal process. Their interest has not been disclosed and there are questions whether they have any reasonable grounds to be joined as interested parties,” Kamau said.

Governor Waititu and his wife Susan Wangari on July were charged alongside eight other suspects with the embezzlement of over Sh588 million public funds in Kiambu county.

Waititu was  granted Sh15 million bail on August 1.

His wife was released on the same day  from Langata prison after paying Sh4 million bail.