Former MP's kin refuse role of estate executors

Pinkam House in Nakuru City. The house is among prime property at centre of succession dispute among family of late Nakuru MP Philip Kamau. [File, Standard]

Three widows and the son of the late nominated Member of Parliament Philip Kamau have now declined their appointment as executors of his estate, estimated to be worth Sh1 billion.

On September 29, 2023, Justice Samwel Mohochi appointed Kamau’s widows Teresia Njeri, Margaret Damat, Lucy Wanjiru, and his son Joseph Njuguna as administrators of the estate.

The four were supposed to replace lawyer Juma Kiplenge, a former executor who died on October 7, 2022.

To implement this, the court revoked a grant of letters of administration that had been issued to Kiplenge on November 19, 2013.

“The grant became useless and inoperative following the death of the executor (Kiplenge), since the estate cannot be left un-administered, I revoke the grant,” the judge ruled.

However, to date, the four administrators have never been formally substituted as the executors and intend to oppose the application by Kamau’s daughter Elizabeth Wanjiku.

Wanjiku had orally informed the court on July 23 that the four should be executors and see the succession case that has dragged on in court since 1983 concluded.

Njuguna, however, raised an objection saying he intends to oppose the application unless it is formally filed.

On the other hand, Damat and Wanjiru said that even if the application is filed formally, they will oppose it on grounds to be communicated to the court on September 17.

Following this, Wanjiku filed a formal application that will be heard on September 17, seeking court orders to substitute Kiplenge with the four.

Kamau’s estate includes the famous Pinkam House and Molo House in Nakuru's central business district, a slaughterhouse, a funeral home, prime plots, residential homes, shops, land, motor vehicles, and money in banks.