Former Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero has been acquitted in a long-running Ksh213 million corruption case, marking a major legal victory for the former city boss after years of courtroom battles and public scrutiny.
Delivering the ruling on Thursday, Justice Victor Wakumile declared that the prosecution had failed to provide adequate evidence to sustain the 17 counts of corruption, effectively clearing Kidero and nine of his co-accused of the charges.
“Count 1–17 are acquitted under Section 210; counts 18–35, the accused persons are placed on their defence,” ruled Justice Wakumile.
The case, which dates back nearly a decade, revolved around allegations that millions of shillings were siphoned from Nairobi County Government accounts through two companies — Ngurumani Traders Ltd and Lodwar Wholesalers Ltd — between January 2014 and January 2016.
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the firms received irregular payments totaling Ksh213,327,300 for goods and services allegedly never delivered. Documents presented in court showed that Lodwar Wholesalers received Ksh109.5 million, while Ngurumani Traders got Ksh103.7 million.
Investigators had further alleged that portions of the money — including Ksh24 million, Ksh14 million, and Ksh10 million — were later traced to accounts linked to Kidero. He reportedly told investigators the payments were for the purchase of a Range Rover, later confirmed to be registered in his name.
The trial, which commenced in 2019, was characterized by multiple delays as the defence filed successive applications to halt proceedings. In August 2021, the court directed that the hearings proceed uninterrupted, dismissing further adjournment requests.
Kidero, who has consistently maintained his innocence, welcomed the judgment as a vindication of his public service record.
“I have always had faith in the rule of law. Today’s decision reaffirms that truth, though delayed, will always prevail,” Kidero said after the ruling.
Meanwhile, Kidero’s legal troubles have not been limited to corruption cases. In a separate matter, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) had accused him of tax underpayment amounting to Ksh680 million between 2011 and 2015.
The High Court later ordered him to pay Ksh423 million, ruling that he failed to prove the funds in question were campaign donations. However, in 2023, Kidero reached a settlement with KRA, agreeing to pay Ksh19.99 million, with Ksh407.7 million waived as part of the deal.
With Thursday’s acquittal, the former governor — once one of Kenya’s most powerful county chiefs — appears to have turned a legal corner after years of turbulence that followed his exit from City Hall.
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