This archive report was first published on 16 September 2019.
The High Court will this week start the process of distributing the properties of the late Mbiyu Koinange, a former Cabinet minister in the Kenyatta era, in line with a Supreme Court ruling that found he had four widows, not two, and that all his dependants should inherit the multi-billion shilling estate.
On September 3, 1981, Koinange died without a Will, leaving behind a vast estate that includes more than 30 properties, including prime land in Nakuru, Nairobi, and Kiambu, as well as shares in companies like Centum, BAT, and Limuru Dairy.
At the centre of the latest court battle is whether the assets should be distributed equally among the four widows or the allocation should be based on a list of Koinange’s spouses as well as his recognised children.
According to court documents, Koinange’s third and fourth widows, Margaret Njeri Mbiyu and Eddah Wanjiru Mbiyu, want the property split equally among the four widows in line with Kikuyu customary law.
However, those associated with the first and second widows want the assets shared among 20 dependants, including Koinange’s remaining children and grandchildren as well as his two daughters-in-law.
As the court battle continues, the value of the disputed assets is estimated to be in the billions of shillings, with some properties valued at over Sh2 billion.
On July 2019, the court ordered Lenah Wanjiku, Koinange’s last-born daughter, to surrender the title deed for 88 acres of land adjacent to Two-Rivers Mall in Nairobi, which she had acquired illegally.
