NAIROBI, Kenya- The High Court has ordered the freezing of bank accounts linked to Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, dealing a fresh legal blow to the county boss as investigations into alleged corruption intensify.
The orders were issued on Thursday, January 15, by Justice Benjamin Mwikya following an Sh813 million civil recovery suit filed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Under the ruling, accounts held by Wamatangi, his wife, children, and 10 other individuals will remain inaccessible pending further directions from the court. The matter is scheduled for mention on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.
Why the court stepped in
In its application, the EACC argued that the funds in question were suspected proceeds of graft and risked being dissipated if preservation orders were not urgently granted.
Justice Mwikya agreed, noting that when the matter first appeared before the trial court, no preservation orders were in place—an omission that justified the fresh intervention.
“In my mind, the preservation orders were not in force when this matter appeared before the trial judge. Had they been in place, the court would have addressed the merits of the prayers in the application dated November 4, 2025,” Mwikya ruled.
“I therefore agree with the plaintiff’s counsel that circumstances have changed, and in the interest of justice, I grant the orders sought until February 4, 2026.”
The EACC alleges that Wamatangi unlawfully awarded tenders to companies associated with him and members of his family during the 2018/2019 and 2021/2022 financial years, when he served as chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Roads and Transportation.
Investigators have recommended that the governor be charged alongside his wife, sister, and other individuals for conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property, and dealing in proceeds of crime.
A tough week for the Kiambu governor
The court ruling compounds what has been a difficult week for Wamatangi. Just a day earlier, several businesses linked to him were demolished near Nyayo National Stadium to pave way for an infrastructure project.
Visiting the site hours after the demolitions, the governor dismissed the developments as politically motivated, claiming they were designed to derail his 2027 gubernatorial ambitions.
“I began here as a small boy selling tea and mandazis and rose to establish the business that was here. What has happened is purely political and intended to silence me and intimidate me,” Wamatangi said.
