Anyang' Nyong’o faults nephews in inheritance row

Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has described his nephews as opportunists in a property dispute that has found its way to court.

Prof Nyong’o’s nephews have sued the Kisumu governor and his sister Dr Risper Nyagoy Nyong’o, who are the administrators, accusing them of leaving out some relatives from a list of beneficiaries to their grandfather’s multimillion shilling estate.

In his response to the case, the county chief told the court Monday that the two were opportunists, taking advantage of him now that he holds an elected position.

“The application by my nephews is calculated to embarrass and extort me now that I am the elected governor of Kisumu County,” he argued.

Prof Nyong’o said he helped his nephews Geoffrey Omondi Nyong’o and Kenneth Odhiambo Okuthe by securing them and other relatives jobs in public service offices when he served as minister in the Narc government as well as the Grand Coalition.

LEFT OUT

In the case, Mr Omondi and Mr Okuthe said the administrators left out two of their sisters’ children from the list of beneficiaries. Mr Omondi, who is the eldest son of Prof Nyong’o’s sister Judith Akoth, was raised by his grandfather Hesbon Shimei Nyong’o after his mother’s death. Prof Nyong’o’s other sister Margaret Awuor, who is Mr Okuthe’s mother, died in 1994.

Mr Shimei died on November 10, 2006 without a will.

Mr Omondi and Mr Okuthe said the governor and his sister were made the administrators of the estate after the area chief certified that Prof Nyong’o, his mother, Dr Nyagoy and other siblings were the legal beneficiaries.

The applicants accused Prof Nyong’o and Dr Nyagoy of concealing important information on confirmation of the grant and not accounting for the estate and are seeking revocation of the letters of administration.

The two demanded that an audit be carried out to ensure all beneficiaries received their dues.

Mr Omondi said he feared Prof Nyong’o would sell or transfer the estate.

The entire estate was estimated to have been worth more than Sh200 million when the trust was opened by the governor and his sister.

It includes 100 acres of land in Miwani, another parcel of land along Jogoo Road in Nairobi on which residential houses have been built. Other parcels of land are in Manyatta, Tamu, Milimani estates and East Rata in Seme Sub-County in Kisumu.

The inventory of assets also includes a bank account said to have been opened by Prof Nyong’o’s father.

In an affidavit sworn on February 28, Prof Nyong’o’s response also painted the applicants as ungrateful, saying he had helped them in many ways despite their indiscipline and criminal tendencies.

“The application is incompetent, bad in law, frivolous, vexatious intended to paint our family in bad light and bring it into disrepute,” said Prof Nyong’o.

“I believe that having taken parental responsibility of the applicants and adopted them as my own children, they cannot claim from the estate of our father neither can they inherit from me when I am still alive,” said the governor.

Dr Nyagoy said her sister Margaret died on December 1994, 12 years before their father died. She added that her other sister, Judith, committed suicide on December 16, 1991. “When she died, she left a suicide note asking Prof Nyong’o’s wife, Dorothy, to take care of her children,” said Dr Nyagoy.

TOOK CARE OF CHILDREN

She said Prof Nyong’o took care of the children, housing them, paying their school fees and even helping them and their spouses get jobs. “They have, however, proven ungrateful. The applicants are put to strict proof of the converse,” said Dr Nyagoy.

Prof Nyong’o and his sister described the applicants as difficult children who were on many occasions suspended and expelled from schools for indiscipline and drug abuse.

The governor said he had offered his nephew land to build a house, which he said Mr Omondi sold as soon as it was transferred to him.

“The applicants despite being adults and despite having been taken care of by Prof Nyong’o, have not been of help to him or their grandmother who has been chronically ill,” said Dr Nyagoy.

The judge has on several occasions asked the parties to settle the matter out of court.

The hearing of the case will continue on April 16.