Ex-girlfriend rejects Shitanda’s Sh40,000

• Woman wanted child maintenance of Sh200,000 a month from the minister

Too much expectation, they say, makes for frustrated people and you could lose what you have in the effort to reach for more.

Ms Agnes Nduku knows this too well and now says she was denied the justice she sought from the courts.

Ms Nduku, a former girlfriend of Housing minister Soita Shitanda, with whom she had twins, feels shortchanged after a court drastically reduced the maintenance she had sought.

She was asking for about Sh200,000 a month to cater for the needs of the eight-year-old twins. The amount includes Sh35,000 monthly rent, Sh20,000 in food expenses, Sh4,000 for a househelp and Sh10,000 entertainment allowance.

But the court ordered the Malava MP to pay Sh40,000 a month which Ms Nduku has rejected.

The minister is however expected to cater for expenses such as books, uniform, transport, school fees and medical costs for the twins.

The money must be paid by the 5th of every month beginning this month. He was, however, given until November 14 to give the money for this month.

Ms Nduku says the award was far below what Mr Shitanda had offered to pay. In his affidavit the minister had said he was willing to pay Sh50,000 per child and accommodation of no more than Sh20,000.

Exploit him

The minister confirmed to the court that he is the father of the children but said their mother was out to exploit him.

“Her demands do not consider shared parental responsibility and merely seeks to exploit my status,” he said.

Senior resident magistrate Esther Mbugua gave joint custody of the two minors. The two have been in a relationship since 1997, she says, and Mr Shitanda was providing for their upkeep on and off.

Ms Nduku says she will appeal in a higher court.