This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
Michelle Karume, the 26-year-old granddaughter of late billionaire politician Njenga Karume, has died in the US after a long battle with cancer.
According to her emotional letter to the family's lawyers, Michelle's last days were spent in 'excruciating pain' due to a lack of basic medicines, including painkillers.
Michelle's death comes as a fierce inheritance battle for her grandfather's immense wealth rages on in court.
As reported earlier, Michelle stunned the court in a past session when she interrupted lawyers and cried to the presiding judge that she was dying of cancer and could not afford medication.
The Judge directed the trustees of Karume's estate to provide the required funds to meet her medical expenses.
Michelle was among the grandchildren that Karume had put in his Will as beneficiaries of his vast estate, which was estimated at Sh17.8 billion last year.
However, despite her grandfather's vast wealth, Michelle's emotional letter painted a picture of destitute last days, with her expressing frustration at the family's lack of communication and financial support.
She wrote, 'The clock is ticking while every day I sit by my phone to hear some good news on funds, but three months later I am waiting here; still waiting for my phone to ring, but in return I get less communication to a point nobody can pick up my calls.'
Michelle's financial distress fuelled by her need for medical attention had been ongoing for at least three years, with her claiming that lack of funds saw her miss out on a clinical trial in 2016 which could have arrested the cancer before it progressed further.
Michelle's death has sparked outrage, with many questioning how a family with such vast wealth could neglect one of their own in such a manner.
