The battle for control of the late Nakuru MP Dickson Kihika’s estate has taken a new twist, after three of his children took to court seeking to take charge of his Ksh600 million estate.
The three, Florence Nduta, Anthony Kihika and Judy Muthoni, in court papers, accuse their mothers of being old, senile and infirm. One of the administrators, Mary Wangari, is termed by the children as being sick and has refused to cooperate with her co-administrators.
Miriam Warau, a wife of the late legislator and a co-administrator is accused of disposing property without the consent of other family members.
Ms Nduta wants to replace her mother Margaret Wambui while Mr Kihika wants to take the place of her mother Alice Mukuhi.
The controversy of the estate started in 2005, after the death of the MP in 2004. Kihika left behind eight wives and 41 children, who all wanted a share of the estate, but since they could not all take charge, the estate was placed under the custody of the four wives.
The children, in a meeting held in June say that there has been mismanagement, waste and wanton destruction of the estate. They say that a number of parcels of land have been grabbed over the eight years the four wives have managed the estate.
According to court documents, tenants have absconded with millions of shillings in rent.
“The beneficiaries believe the only way the estate can be protected is to substitute the current four administrators with the three proposed co-administrators, who are capable and willing to administer the estate diligently. Otherwise, what was once a vast estate is in danger of being diminished to almost nothing,” say the children in court documents.
The estate also lacks records on land rates, income tax records and bank statements, for 13 year now, according to the children.
“We acknowledge they are our parents and we thank them for this far we have come, whatsoever the conditions. But we strongly believe it’s time for change of guard,” said the children.
The patriarch of the family died in 2004 at the age of 78, leaving behind over 1,000 acres of land for his family in Nakuru and Njoro. He also owned 1,000 acres in Rumuruti, Laikipia.
There are also three plots in Naivasha and one in Nairobi worth more than Ksh100 million.
Kihika was first elected to the National Assembly in 1974 as MP for Nakuru North where he served until 1979. He then moved to Laikipia West in 1992 General Election and won before shifting to Molo where he served from 1997 to 2002.