Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama speaks on wife ‘eviction’

Senator Johnstone Muthama estranged wife Agnes Muthama where she lives at senators residence in machakos

An aide to Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama has reacted angrily to claims that his boss is ‘harassing’ his estranged wife Agnes Kavindu.

“Why can’t you evict someone from your own house? She was just being hosted there. When she went to court over the eviction issue, the boss was shocked. He simply wanted to relocate her to a new home and use his old home as his political base because it is in a very strategic position,” says Muthama’s personal assistant.

 The aide says that at no point did the senator disobey a court order.

“Agnes’ son wanted to move and he carried the household items to the new home, aware that his mom would also move. No one was evicted,” he adds.

He says his boss would not ‘stoop too low’ to disconnect water and electricity from his estranged wife’s home.
“She messed with some wiring in the house and when electricians from Kenya Power came, they said it would cost Sh355,000 to fix. The the senator will of course fix it,” he said.

 The aide furnished The Nairobian with a report from Kenya Power stating: “The underground cable supplying power to the house is damaged in some areas causing power leakages. It is not easy to locate the damaged area and I do recommend a total length replacement of cables and its accessories... The work will take three weeks to complete.”

 The report signed by electrical engineer Edward Wambua estimates that it will cost Sh 355,000 to rectify the problem.

Muthama’s team described the move by his ex wife to invite human rights activists over to the house as “fishing for sympathy.”

“She has never slept hungry even for one day or lacked a roof over her head. Her children got the best education, yet she is an ex-wife. How can she then turn round and accuse Muthama of cruelty?” asks the personal assistant to the senator.

A graduate of Gemological Institute of America, Muthama built his Muthama Gemstone Company from scratch and is the founder of Kenya Gemstone Dealers Association. 

How the saga started
The black imposing gate stands solid, defiantly blocking access to Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama’s home. At the gate, a blue SUV honks repeatedly until a security guard comes out. “Mnataka nini?” he asks.

 Ann Njogu and lawyers Judy Thongori tell him that they have come to see ‘mama,’ referring to Agnes Kavindu, Muthama’s estranged wife. After a few minutes, Agnes comes out in a flowing orange kitenge dress, hair and make-up impeccable.

 The spiraling driveway leads to a palatial home, but it looks haunted, not a soul in sight. The yard has litter everywhere. All the rooms are empty and her voice echoes across the empty house as she speaks.

“Last week, they came here and took everything from the house. I now live in an empty house, without water or electricity. I use water from the swimming pool to bathe,” she says.

Agnes claims Muthama’s people introduced bees into the house, and then sealed the chimney.

“They brought bees here. They want the bees to force me to leave this house, so I keep buying insecticides,” she alleges.

According to a divorce certificate which The Nairobian is in possession of, Muthama married Agnes in 1978, but divorced her in 1983 for ‘cruelty.’ The court gave Agnes custody of their three children.

Sources close to Muthama revealed that in November 1994, he decided to build the palatial Machakos residence, where he moved his divorced wife, the mother of his two children.
But two years ago, Muthama built another home, and asked his former wife to move with her children to the new home.

Senator hardly visits

“Mzee alitaka hii nyumba ya Machakos ikuwe ofisi yake ya siasa, sababu it’s in a central and strategic position,”says a source close to Muthama.

Agnes’ son Moses and daughter Ruth, agreed to move to the new home, but Agnes was adamant that she would remain in her old home, causing a rift between her and the son.

“My son now gives instructions to workers not to listen to me. He even supervised the carting away of my belongings,” says Agnes. She however didn’t respond when asked why she didn’t want to move to the new home built for her.

 One of the workers says Muthama has been to that home less than five times.

“He never comes here. And when he does, he never gets into the house. We know they haven’t been in good terms even though he once told us, when he came to pay our salaries, to respect and listen to madam,” she says.

Agnes says she has obtained a court order barring Muthama, who is the founding Chairman of Kenya Chamber of Mines, from evicting her from the house.