NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has been acquitted in a Sh213 million corruption case, marking a major relief in one of the long-running graft prosecutions against him.
A Nairobi court on Tuesday ruled that Kidero had no case to answer on counts 1 to 17 of the 35-count charge sheet.
“Count 1–17, all are acquitted under Section 210. Count 18–35, accused person placed on their defense,” the court ruled.
Kidero had been charged alongside several former senior county officials, including Lilian Wanjiru Ndegwa, Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba, and Gregory Mwakanongo, with offences related to abuse of office, dealing with suspect property, and conspiracy to commit corruption-related offences.
According to the charge sheet, the former governor was accused of receiving Ksh 14 million on August 29, 2014, and another Ksh 10 million on September 11, 2014, from Lodwar Wholesalers Limited while serving as Nairobi Governor. The prosecution alleged that the funds were proceeds of corruption.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) had claimed that Kidero and his co-accused mismanaged county funds and benefited from irregular payments during his tenure.
The court’s decision means Kidero is now partly cleared of the graft charges, though he will still have to defend himself on 18 remaining counts as the trial continues.
Kidero, who served as Nairobi’s first governor from 2013 to 2017, has faced multiple corruption cases linked to his time at City Hall and his earlier tenure at Mumias Sugar Company.
He has consistently denied any wrongdoing, terming the cases as politically motivated.
