Kiambu County Governor Kimani Wamatangi’s supporters on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, staged protests outside the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) headquarters in Nairobi after the county boss was taken in for grilling over graft.
A section of the supporters was heard chanting while carrying placards at the Integrity Centre’s entrance, demanding the release of Wamatangi.
In videos that have been seen by K24 Digital, the crowd that had gathered along the Jakaya Kikwete Road, causing a traffic snarl-up, chanted Governor Wamatangi’s name as they sang songs in his praise.
“Ametutendea…ametutendea… Wamatangi ametutendea… Wamatangi ametutendea…” they can be heard singing.
Protests at Wamatangi’s home
A similar protest had been staged outside Governor Wamatangi’s residence in Kiambu during his arrest but was thwarted by a heavy contingent of police who shot in the air to disperse the crowd that was swelling as the county chief was being driven away.
During the arrest, Wamatangi was seen waving to the locals from the backseat of an SUV as the detectives escorted him to their offices for interrogation.
The residents, while chanting anti-President William Ruto songs, said that the head of state was aware of the scheme behind Wamatangi’s frustrations.
EACC on Wamatangi’s arrest
EACC has, however, clarified on the raid that was conducted on the house and office of the Kiambu County Governor.
EACC, in a statement issued on Monday, April 15, 2025, said its officers had executed search warrants at the residences and offices of nine individuals as part of an ongoing investigation, with Wamatangi being among the nine.
“Today, Tuesday, 15th April 2025, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) executed search warrants at the residences and offices of nine individuals as part of an ongoing investigation. Among those targeted was Paul Kimani Njoroge, alias Wamatangi, the Governor of the Kiambu County Government,” the statement read.
EACC also said that its officers had recovered a total of Ksh12 million and USD 13,000, all in cash, from the residence of Wamatangi.
The anti-graft body says the money that it has since seized is part of the evidentiary material to support ongoing investigations. The seized amount, EACC says, is suspected to be proceeds of corruption.
“Today’s operation has resulted in the recovery of critical evidentiary material to support ongoing investigations. This includes the seizure of KES12 million and USD 13,000 in cash from the residence of Governor Kimani Wamatangi, which is suspected to be proceeds of corruption,” EACC stated.