Governor Waititu accused of illegally transferring land belonging to a Thika widow.

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu might be charged for abuse of office following his involvement in the illegal acquisition and transfer of land worth Sh.100 million in Thika Municipality in January 2018.

On the 5th March this year, the Commission on Administrative Justice, better known as the office of the Ombudsman received a complaint from Cecilia Mbugua who is a widow alleging that officials from the Kiambu County Government irregularly transferred ownership of two plots in Thika municipality registered under the complainant to Esther Nyatu Wamuyu.

Following an investigation and subsequent recommendation by the commission ascertained that prime property – Thika Municipality/Block XI/877 and Thika Municipality/Block XI/878 – belonging to Ms Mbugua was fraudulently transferred to Esther Nyatu through the office of the governor and the governor himself.

CAJ Chairperson Florence Kajuju handed over title deeds to back to Ms Mbugua following an admission by Waititu of his role in taking away the land.

The properties are part of a block of five properties owned by Ms. Mbugua, all having a lease of 99 years starting in the year 2011.

Ms. Mbugua had applied to develop the properties in 2013 and was granted a permit to carry on planned construction works. Later, it was cancelled on allegations that the land belonged to the Juakali Association. Mbugua challenged the decision in court, which ruled in her favour.

The commission’s investigators visited Kiambu and Thika land offices to interview officials and get documents relevant to the matter.

Waititu was also interviewed and he allegedly admitted requesting Ms Mbugua to surrender the two plots before he could facilitate approval of the development plans for the remaining three plots.

In late December 2017, Ms Mbugua said she received a call from the governor’s office in which she was guaranteed the development approvals only for the land to be transferred to Esther Nyatu on the 2nd of January 2018 on purported consideration of sale.

Upon realising the irregularity in the transfer of the plots, the governor agreed to surrender back the two plots to the widow.