Two Karume children defend trustee board
What you need to know:
- Dr Kahiu said her father’s decision to have his estate managed through the trust was meant to preserve his legacy and benefit his children.
- Mr Waireri said the creation of the trust was in order. “I sit in the board of Karume Holdings Limited, my brother Kagera sits on the Jacaranda Holdings’ board while Wanjema sits on the Cianda Holdings board. They cannot, therefore, claim they have been sidelined,” he added.
- Dr Kahiu said it was wrong for her sisters and brothers to claim their father was not of sound mind when he drew his last Will in June 2011.
Two children of the late politician Njenga Karume have differed with their siblings over the management of their father’s multi-billion shilling business empire.
Dr Fransisca Kahiu and Mr Henry Waireri Karume, both trustees and executors of the estate, have dismissed an application by their siblings, who claim a trust managing his businesses was established in bad faith based on falsehoods.
Ms Lucy Wanjiru Karume, Mr Albert Kigera Karume, Mr Samuel Wanjema Karume and Ms Jane Mukuhi Matu are opposed to the Njenga Karume Trust, which they claim is running down the businesses.
Dr Kahiu said her father’s decision to have his estate managed through the trust was meant to preserve his legacy and benefit his children.
She denied claims that they had been sidelined in the management of the estates.
“We all sit on various boards running the businesses. Trustees and executors of the Will have on several occasions invited us to meetings for updates on the affairs of the businesses,” she said. “Each of them is a member of a board of a company and so, they cannot claim they have been sidelined.”
Dr Kahiu said it was wrong for her sisters and brothers to claim their father was not of sound mind when he drew his last Will in June 2011.
“Being a medical doctor, I can confirm my father was of sound mind during the period preceding his death. I accompanied him during his visits to hospitals and although he was in pain, his mental faculties were intact.”
Mr Waireri said the creation of the trust was in order. “I sit in the board of Karume Holdings Limited, my brother Kagera sits on the Jacaranda Holdings’ board while Wanjema sits on the Cianda Holdings board. They cannot, therefore, claim they have been sidelined,” he added.
The two spoke at the High Court in Nairobi where the trustees have filed a case challenging a bid to have the trust done away with.
Lawyer Kamau Karori, for the trustees, said transactions were done by the consent of all.
Lady Justice Lydia Achode will hear the case on Tuesday next week.
