No end to Kirima family feud as wife moves to court

Kirima’s wives and children

• First wife – Agnes Waruguru (deceased); children – Maria, Gathoni, Ruth, Margaret, Anne, Susan and Wanjau
• Second wife – Grace Warwathia; children – Irene and Steve
• Third wife – Teresia Wairimu; Children – Alice, Fred (Deceased), Sam And Shiko
• What Kirima owns: Several commercial buildings within Nairobi CBD; Residential estates in different parts of Nairob; Accounts with several banks; Shares in numerous companies

The feuding between siblings of former Starehe MP and real estate magnate Gerishon Kirima has the ingredients of a soap opera. It is a story of distrust and betrayal that pits brother against brother and sister against sister.

At the centre of it all is a Sh750 million real estate empire that 13 brothers and sisters are fighting over, together with their mothers and other close relations.

And, even as Mr Kirima is being treated thousands of kilometres away in England, the story refuses to go away, with each fresh day unfolding a twist and turn.

The stand-off is now said to have sucked in senior government officials — a Cabinet minister and a permanent secretary — who are said to be close to some parties.

The simmering drama started last year, with two of Mr Kirima’s sons, Wanjau Kirima and Steve Kirima seeking different court orders.

Wanjau was the first to go to court seeking to collect rent from property run by his father’s firm, Kirima and Sons Ltd, in which he said he was a shareholder.

And as the case progressed he sought to withdraw the case, but his attempts to meet his father to settle the case out of court was allegedly thwarted by what he claimed to be third parties.

The matter is now is expected to be heard in October. Steve was the second seek orders for his father to be examined by a doctor to confirm he was mentally fit to run the family estate.

He alleged that his father was suffering from “senile dementia” and should not be solely in charge of family businesses. The case was however, dismissed.

But the matter came to a head recently when a section of Mr Kirima’s children said they had been denied access to him. They camped outside Mr Kirima’s Kitsuru residence overnight, then gained access to their father after what was said to be intervention from government officials.

The old man was later whisked away to Nairobi Hospital following claims that he was ailing without medical attention; he was admitted before being flown abroad under controversial circumstances.

This is said to have happened despite Mrs Teresia Kirima, the third wife, securing court orders demanding that she and her doctors be allowed access to him.

On Wednesday, Mrs Alice Kirima, a daughter of Teresia, said she did not understand how her father left without his passport.“We have not been given a medical report about our father’s condition before being flown out and how he is now,” she said.

Alice denied allegations her mother denied the other siblings access to her father, saying it was Mr Kirima demanded that his children who sued him had to withdraw the case first.

The differences took a twist yesterday when Teresia, went to court seeking to control Mr Kirima’s multi-million estate. Teresiah feared “lives may be lost in property struggle and damage caused on her husband’s estate unless court intervenes.”

On Tuesday, Mr Kirima’s children, mostly from the first and second wives went to the offices of Kirima and Sons Ltd, the firm managing his estate, demanding to be allowed access to the company’s book of accounts.

Three of Mr Kirima’s children, Margaret, Stephen and Irene have recorded statements with police. The suit has been urgent and hearing set for August 24.

On Wednesday Mr Kirima’s first born, Ms Maria Njeri Kirima, on claims that a minister intervened in the matter, said: “It is not true, they are just looking for sympathy and to divert attention.”

Maria said she did not anything about the passport issue. On the medical report she said it was between a doctor and a patient.