Ever wondered why land and property causes so much division in families that were once united? In case your family is going through a similar situation, take heart, you are not alone.
The battle for control of the late Nakuru MP Dickson Kihika Kimani’s estate is back in court, a wrangle that began in 2005 after Kihika’s death. Three siblings have now filed documents seeking to replace their mothers who have been administering the Ksh. 600 million estate for the past eight years.
In June 2016, the wives of the late Kihika Kimani agreed to come together and sort out their issues that had portrayed the once respected household in bad light.
“We will now live together and sort out our issues peacefully. The wrangles within us would even portray the president badly after he appointed our daughter Susan Kihika in the jubilee campaign team,” they said.
“That the four co-administrators of the estate of Dickson Kihika Kimani (deceased) namely Margaret Wambui, Alice Mukuhi, Mary Wangari and Miriam Warau substituted with three co-administrators namely Florence Nduta, Anthony Kihika and Judy Muthoni,” reads part of the application.
Ms Nduta wants to replace her mother Wambui who she says is old, senile and sickly and cannot administer the estate effectively. Mr Kihika is seeking to take the place of his mother Mukuhi who is said to be old and infirm and in the circumstances not able and available to practically co-administer the estate.
According to the document, Ms Wangari on the other hand is ailing and also refuses to cooperate with her co-administrators thus a proposal was made that she be substituted with Ms Muthoni. The fourth co-administrator, Ms Warau, has allegedly messed by disposing off property without authority. According to court records, she has sold a one-acre piece of land excised from property in Marmanet Scheme.
The court document says that there has been waste and wanton destruction of the estate as a number of parcels of land have been grabbed over the years and 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,” the application states. The children further claim there has been general incompetence in the management of the estate’s records on land rates and income tax records, and that there are no bank statements of the estate available for 13 years to date.
“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,” stated the beneficiaries in the June meeting.
Have you ever found yourself involved in family drama? How did you resolve it?