Politician’s widows demand apology from Nakuru County Speaker in family row

A family dispute surrounding the management of a former Nakuru politician’s property has taken a new twist after his widows gave county Speaker Susan Kihika seven days to apologise for "disrespecting" them.

The widows have demanded that the Speaker unconditionally publish an apology in at least two leading newspapers of national reach while accusing her of "blatantly disregarding" and at times "intimidating" them and their children.

Ms Hellen Wangare, a daughter of the eldest widow, speaking on their behalf at their home, accused Ms Kihika of fuelling disquiet over the management of part of the late Dickson Kihika Kimani’s property.

“We are not happy that the matter played out in the public. It was because my step-sister, who is the Speaker, did not honour invitations for dialogue whenever she was called,” said Ms Wangare.

ADMIT LIABILITY

The family members want Ms Kihika to admit liability and thereafter negotiate with her to end the dispute.

Last week on Wednesday, seven widows of the late politician stormed the 42-acre Engarusha Farm in Bahati constituency and broke down gates at the property estimated to be worth Sh15 million.

They accused the Speaker and her mother of allegedly violating a family agreement by evicting one of the tenants on the farm and attempting to disinherit them.

The tenant, Mr Lawrence Karani, had established a talent school – the Kenya Sports and Talent School – on the farm.

The protesting widows, who were led by the eldest among them, 85-year-old Margaret Wambui Kihika, claimed the Speaker had denied them access to the property.

DISMISSED CLAIMS

However, Ms Kihika has since dismissed the claims, accusing her extended family of being dishonest and claiming her step-mothers had been influenced and incited by Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri.

Mr Ngunjiri has denied he was involved in the dispute, saying he had only visited the family as the area MP to arbitrate the matter.

Ms Kihika said Mr Karani had failed to pay rent and was in arrears amounting to Sh2.2 million, stating that the family took him to court on October 5 last year and the court ruled in favour of the family and granted them orders to auction the property.

According to Ms Kihika, by the time he went back to court to secure a status quo, the family had already carried out the auction and seized the property in the compound and locked him out.

“At that point all the family members were on board and all the four administrators involved,” she told the Nation previously.