High Court gives Jonathan Moi's widows time to file papers
Faith Nyambura and Jonathan Moi. Faith and Beatrice Mbuli claim their co-wife Sylvia J. has excluded them as beneficiaries of Jonathan's estate. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Jonathan’s first wife Sylvia was granted temporary orders to administer the estate.
- But the two widows accused Sylvia of concealing material facts and leaving them out as beneficiaries of the estate.
- Faith said her children risk being kicked out of school over Sh631,206 fee balance. She wants Sh1 million monthly for upkeep.
A judge has granted two widows of former President Daniel arap Moi’s eldest son, Jonathan Toroitich Moi, more time to file papers in a succession case pending before the High Court.
Appearing before Justice Aggrey Muchelule on Tuesday, the widows, Beatrice Mbuli and Faith Nyambura, asked the court to grant them at least seven days to file their objections in the case.
THREE WIVES
Jonathan’s first wife, Sylvia, was granted temporary orders to administer the estate.
But the two widows accused Sylvia of concealing material facts and leaving them out as beneficiaries of the estate. Beatrice said in her court papers that she was married to Jonathan in accordance with Akamba customary laws on July 17, 1998. They had two children, a boy and a girl, and that Jonathan took care of her two other children.
And when he died early this year, she said, all the three widows met on various occasions in respect of administration of the estate. She said they agreed that she and Faith should jointly apply for letters of administration on behalf of other households.
She claims that Sylvia proceeded alone without informing her co-wives. The letter of administration was published in the Kenya Gazette on September 13, 2019. She said she became aware of this after the lapse of the 30-day period during which she was required to raise objections.
On her part, Faith also claimed the first wife concealed material facts, especially the fact that Jonathan had another family, which he provided for. She claimed, alongside her children, that they were omitted from the list of beneficiaries, yet her children need school fees. Faith added that her children risk being kicked out of school over Sh631,206 fee balance.
SIDELINED
Faith said she married Jonathan in December 2008 in a Kikuyu customary wedding and the two have three children. She accused Sylvia of failing to provide for them and sidelining other widows from participating in affairs of the estate.
Faith wants the court to make an order that she be given a monthly provision of Sh1 million for upkeep from the estate, pending determination of the case.
She has proposed that Sylvia, Beatrice and herself be made the joint administrators of the estate.
Justice Muchelule adjourned the matter to November 26.
