Sirisia MP John Waluke opens up on 67-year sentence, military career and life after conviction

Now, the veteran legislator is speaking publicly about the conviction that saw him sentenced to 67 years in prison or pay a hefty fine in the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) maize scandal a case he insists was politically motivated.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, Waluke maintained that he never stole public funds, arguing that the dispute stemmed from a breach of contract between his company and the government.

"I'm the most popular MP in the world because of what happened to me. There is no Kenyan who has ever been jailed for 67 years," he said.

Waluke said he remained confident throughout the legal process because, according to him, the matter was commercial rather than criminal.

"This was a breach of contract case. We took the government to court for breaching the contract, and I knew one day I would come out because I believed it was political," he said.

The legislator also alleged that attempts by his supporters to raise money for his bail were frustrated by state agencies.

"Kenyans wanted to contribute towards my bail, but the paybills were blocked. The DCI, anti-corruption agencies, the NIS—all the security organs—stopped it," he claimed.

Away from the courtroom, Waluke reflected on a childhood marked by hardship.

Raised by a single mother, he said financial difficulties forced him to abandon secondary school so he could help support his family.

That decision eventually led him to enlist in the Kenya military in 1980, beginning a 16-year career in the military.

"We saved this country during the 1982 coup. I was still young and vibrant in the military," he recalled.

Despite his political career spanning decades, Waluke says he has never stopped pursuing education.

After leaving the military, he returned to complete his education privately before earning a diploma. Today, he says, he is pursuing a doctorate while balancing parliamentary duties.

"I am always going to school. Even during weekends, afternoons and evenings, I attend classes. Right now, I am doing my doctorate, and it is not easy," he said.

Waluke said his decision to join politics came after persistent appeals from residents of Sirisia following his retirement from the military.

Looking back on his tenure as MP, he cited education, roads and rural electrification as some of the achievements he is most proud of, saying many schools that once operated in mud-walled classrooms now have permanent buildings, while electricity coverage in the constituency has expanded significantly.

On the country's political landscape, the legislator argued that Kenya currently lacks a cohesive opposition, saying rival political camps are pursuing separate agendas rather than working together.

Having weathered one of the biggest political and legal storms of his career, Waluke offered a cautionary message to those seeking elective office.

"If you want to join politics, you must accept three things: you can be killed, you can be jailed, and you can become poor because politics can consume everything you have," he said.

Asked whether his legal battles and time behind bars left him emotionally scarred, Waluke said he has chosen to move on.

"I don't carry it with me. Life continues. Things change, and leaders come and go," he said.