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The muted return of Baba Yao and the enduring lesson of politics and accountability

Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu at the Milimani court on Thursday, February 13, 2025. [Collins Kweyu,Standard]

My heart goes out to Ferdinand Waititu aka Baba Yao, the rambunctious former Kiambu Governor who has been in the cooler for corruption, for a couple of months. The actual jail term is 12 years, and Baba Yao could head back in if his appeal is not successful.

Without a doubt, this is a remarkable crash for a man whose raucous character endeared himself to many, hence the moniker of Baba Yao, meaning the patriarch. The anti-graft agency, EACC, on the other hand, told the court that Baba Yao was the godfather of corruption, and delivered tomes of evidence to show how the politician orchestrated scams to reward himself, his family and his cronies.

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