This archive report was first published on 23 October 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration has been taking a tough stance against leaders facing corruption charges, and the latest incident involving Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu is a testament to this.
On October 20, 2019, during Mashujaa Day celebrations at the Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa, Governor Waititu was seen being escorted out of the VIP dais by men believed to be President Kenyatta's handlers.
According to a video shared on social media, Governor Waititu was seated at the VIP dais when he was approached by the men, who asked him to vacate the area. He complied, shaking hands with some of the security officials before feigning a phone call and walking out of the event altogether.
This incident came just days after Governor Waititu was blocked from shaking hands with President Kenyatta during the launch of the Nairobi-Suswa Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in a similar incident.
Waititu is currently facing corruption charges, and the court has barred him from performing his duties as Governor until the case is concluded.
It is not clear who gave the instructions for Waititu to be blocked from the events, but sources have indicated that organizers were under strict commands not to allow leaders battling graft cases.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had previously declared that leaders accused of corruption would have to carry their own cross, stating that the days of seeking help were over.
