The End of an Era: WhatsApp Support for Android 4.4.2 (KitKat)
While you cannot run the latest WhatsApp, you can run the last compatible version. Serverside protocols matter here. Even if your app is old, WhatsApp's servers must accept its "handshake." Once an app version is more than 6–12 months behind the current stable release, the servers reject it. whatsapp for android 4.4.2
The short answer is: Yes, but only with an older version, and for a limited time. The End of an Era: WhatsApp Support for Android 4