Even before his demise, 95-year-old Kiambu tycoon Thuo Gachogo has already had women battling for a stake of his empire in court.
According to his son Peter Ndung’u, women, even from his father’s past have all been in line, positioning themselves for part of his estate because he is too old.
“My father is a billionaire. Many women some former girlfriends and concubines claiming to be wives have emerged. My father has been manipulated by these women because he is very old,” he said.
Besides his five legal wives, Mr. Gachogo has now had other women claiming their right to the estate through marital connection.
At stake are apartments and commercial buildings scattered in Nairobi’s CBD, Nairobi West, South C, Westlands Ngara, Eastleigh, Thika Road, Kiambu, Ruiru, Githunguri and Ikinu as well as parcels of land.
An inventory of Gachogo’s wealth is as long as it is revealing. In Nairobi West Gachogo has 16 developed plots on each side of the road. He has several buildings along Mutundu Road in Westlands, more than an acre undeveloped plot in Ngara which is used as an open garage while in Eastleigh he holds the lease to the buildings that once housed post office near St Theresa. Gachogo made his millions as an open air mechanic who used his connections to win tenders to repair government vehicles. His specialty was panel beating at Ngara, Nairobi.
So secretive is the billionaire that he has no phone and no member of the family has the whole inventory of his wealth portfolio and he has engaged agents and lawyers who collect millions in rent and deposit it in his bank accounts.
A confidant of his revealed: Every time he is going to transact in a bank, the manager has to make special arrangement to receive the old man. He has no car to his name and moves around in a taxi driven by trusted allies.