Njenga Karume trustees suffer blow in wife’s property row

The late Njenga Karume. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Before he died, Karume had put all his wealth under three holding companies to be managed by the Njenga Karume Trust under the trustees.

  • Court documents show that the children want to be allowed to divide Ms Wariara Njenga Karume’s estate, which was previously managed by their late father.

  • Further, High Court Judge John Onyiego directed that “Mr Karume’s children should try and agree among themselves on who will be the administrator”.

The proposed administrators of late businessman Njenga Karume’s will Monday suffered a setback when they were advised by a court to reconsider their intention of participating in a case where the former politician’s children are seeking to be allowed to inherit their mother’s estate.

Court documents show that the children want to be allowed to divide Ms Wariara Njenga Karume’s estate, which was previously managed by their late father.

Further, High Court Judge John Onyiego directed that “Mr Karume’s children should try and agree among themselves on who will be the administrator”.

ADMINISTRATORS

Mr Karume had obtained letters of administration of the estate of Wariara, who died in 2008.

But he succumbed to cancer on February 24, 2012, leaving that estate without an administrator.

His children filed an application at the High Court challenging the letters of administration he had obtained. They argued that they were not involved in the consent to have him take the letters of administration, among other reasons.

Mr Karume’s children are seeking orders to revoke the letters of administration that had been granted to their father by the court. They are represented by lawyers Peter Munge and Antony Kago.

However, the proposed administrators, through their lawyer, had sought to be allowed to be the administrators of Wariara’s estate.

DISBURSEMENT

Last year, the court stopped the trustees from using money from the sale of Kachoroba farm unless directed by the court.

High Court Judge Roselyn Aburili ruled that any disbursement from the proceeds will be made purely on account of court orders, taking the battle between the trustees and Karume’s children a notch higher.

Justice Aburili issued the orders on January 23, 2018 after the trustees filed an affidavit containing details of the sale of the land for Sh214 million and how it had so far been spent.

Before he died, Karume had put all his wealth under three holding companies to be managed by the Njenga Karume Trust under the trustees. The team of trustees includes George Warieri, Kung'u Gatabaki and Margaret Nduta Kamithi.

The case will be heard on May 13.