A DNA test has revealed that the late Matungu MP Justus Murunga fathered a child with his mistress Agnes Wangui.
Pathologists who had been tasked with the DNA sampling exercise have revealed that there is a 99 per cent chance the late legislator sired a three-year-old girl with Ms Wangui.
The MP died at St Mary’s Mission Hospital in Mumias on November 14, 2020, from suspected Covid-19. A stand-off soon paralysed his burial plans as Wangui moved to court to seek an injunction as she sought paternity test for her two children—a seven-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter.
Through her lawyer Danstan Omari, Wangui told the court that she had a relationship with the late legislator and as a result, they had two children who were dependants of the lawmaker. She successfully acquired a restraining order stopping the MP’s widows, Christabel Murunga and Grace Murunga, from conducting the internment until the paternity question was solved.
“A temporary injunction is hereby issued restraining the two wives whether by themselves or their relatives from conducting the burial of the deceased or disposing of the body in any manner pending determination of the suit,” ruled Milimani Principal Magistrate Agnes Makau.
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“We also want the court to order for the collection of DNA samples from the dead MP and the minors for comparison and to ascertain their paternity, and that the two children be at liberty to fully participate in the funeral arrangements of their biological father,” lawyer Omari said, as he tabled the pleas.
Even though the DNA analysis was not conducted on the boy, Mr Omari told the court that the boy was a dependant of the late legislator and therefore can make part of a succession case.
The late Matungu MP Justus Murunga's wife Christabel Amunga (in brown dress) held by friends as she left with her husband's body from St. Mary's Mission Hospital Mortuary in Mumias to Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi on Sunday. [File, Standard]
The relationship
Wangui swore an affidavit detailing the genesis of her love affair with the legislator. The relationship resulted in the birth of a daughter.
She said she met the lawmaker in 2012 when he worked as a supervisor in Embakasi Ranching, Nairobi, while she sold beverage and snacks.
“Shortly after, we began a romantic relationship and out of the union we were blessed with two children. The first child was born in March 2013 while our second was born in November 2017,” her affidavit read.
However, as soon as the MP won the seat in 2017, their relationship ground to a halt denying her the privileges she enjoyed like upkeep and house rent from the legislator.
“He did not want neither the public nor his family to learn of the existence of our two children and even denied me his identification card to secure their birth certificates. However, after several talks and mutual agreement, he resumed supporting his children until his death,” she said.
The MP was buried on December 5, 2020, at his home in Matungu after the court lifted the restraining order of November 27 allowing his family to proceed with the burial.
