Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has been arrested.
The arrest came following raids at his residences and offices on Tuesday morning, April 15, by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
According to reports, the raids were part of a wider investigation into alleged embezzlement of public funds and conflicts of interest involving the governor and nine other senior county officials.
Wamatangi and the nine officials have been under investigation for their roles in the mismanagement of county funds.
The arrest came a year after Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah and his Thika Town counterpart Alice Ng’ang’a called for the arrest and investigation of Wamatangi.
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Their call was based on allegations of embezzlement and financial mismanagement within the Kiambu County government.
The MPs referenced a report by the Auditor General, which highlighted several discrepancies in the county's expenditure.
Notably, the report revealed that Kiambu County had purchased 60,000 one-month-old chicks for Ksh18 million, yet only 22,500 chicks were delivered despite full payment.
Additionally, Ksh81.8 million was spent on certified seeds, breeding stock, and live animals.
“I want the DCI and EACC to read the auditor general's report and investigate what happened. Whether you are an MCA or a governor, your days are numbered and in Kimabu County, the days have finally come. Let EACC, and DCI take the report, do investigations, and arrest people," Ichung'wah said in April 2024.
Governor Wamatangi, during a Senate Committee session, acknowledged that the county had contracted three firms, Kiambu Pay, County Pro, and Zizi, to collect revenue.
However, he revealed that these firms had signed opaque agreements with the county government, leading to potential revenue losses estimated at Ksh 10 billion between 2014 and 2022.
He further criticized the firms for providing faulty systems that were intentionally calibrated to give inaccurate results, thereby facilitating financial mismanagement.
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