Former Nyandarua Governor Daniel Waithaka Mwangi has been sentenced to two years in prison or a fine of Sh1 million after being found guilty of procurement violations.
Nyandarua Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Hezekiah Kago also handed a similar sentence to Grace Wanjiru Gitonga, the former County Executive Committee Member for Water, Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources. Gitonga faces a two-year jail term or a fine of Sh500,000 for engaging in an unplanned project and failing to comply with procurement regulations.
Both sentences will run concurrently if the fines are not paid.
The court found that on April 30, 2014, Waithaka and Gitonga, as public officers, violated the Public Procurement and Disposal Act of 2006 by unlawfully awarding a contract to M/s TAHAL Consulting Engineers Limited without a procurement plan for the 2013/2014 financial year.
Additionally, Waithaka was found guilty of abusing his office on April 4, 2014, by improperly awarding the firm a contract for the development of the County Water Master Plan and the design review of the Ol Kalou Town Sewerage System, bypassing proper procurement procedures.
Waithaka becomes the third former governor convicted on corruption charges in the past two years, joining ex-Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal and ex-Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu.
