Succession: Nyachae family claims woman had four husbands

Simeon Nyachae when he served as Finance minister. [File, Standard]

She also states that she never informed her that Nyachae was sick.

Supporting Charles's position, Leon Nyachae, his stepbrother, filed separate affidavits disclosing an investigation into Chweya's life in Kenya and the US.

Leon states that the executors of Nyachae's estate - Charles, Angela Nyachae and Eric Nyachae - commissioned the investigation.

The probe, conducted between May 5, last year, and February 15 involved the assistance of a consultancy firm in Kenya and a US-based investigative company.

The goal, according to Leon, was to establish Chweya's true identity, her marital history and her family situation, including her marriages, children and their respective timelines.

"The mandate given to both the Kenya investigator and the USA investigator was to establish who the first applicant (Chweya) really was and more it relates to her family situation- that is, whether she was married, to whom was she married to, when she was married, whether she had children when she got children," Leon states in his reply.

Leon narrates that investigations reveal that Chweya was born on December 12, 1954, to David Chweya and Priscilla Moraa.

He states Moraa died in 1956 and immediately, David married Sibia Mokeira Nyandusi, a daughter of Senior Chief Musa Nyandusi and a stepsister of Nyachae.

He claims that her first two husbands, Jacob Machuki Mokaya and Michael Pondo Migowa, live in Kenya.

The report also claims that Chweya had marriages with George Gordon Odera and James Leroy Totten.

"The above-said first two husbands to wit; Jacob Machuki Mokaya and Michael Opondo are resident in Kenya and were so resident even at the time of their respective marriages to the first applicant," says Leon, adding that in 1974, Machuki and Chweya had a son called Samuel Onyancha.

Machuki has also filed his affidavit. He states that he was born in 1949. He claims that they were married under customary law and parted ways in 1978.

He denies any knowledge of her being married to Nyachae.

"At no time during our marriage did the first applicant indicate that she was ever married to the Hon Simeon Nyachae and to the best of my knowledge she was never married to Hon. Simeon Nyachae," claims Machuki.

And Pondo claims that they married under Kisii customary law and had a son named John Paul. He also denies knowledge of her marriage to Nyachae.

He states that John Paul was baptised at Holy Family Cathedral (current Holy Family Basilica) by Reverend Thomas Maegher and his baptism card clearly indicated him as the father and Chweya as the mother.

Charles Nyachae when he addressed a press conference at Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi to confirm death of h is father Simeon Nyachae. [File,Standard]

"Even at times, he will order a bank to give me a clean loan under his name which no collateral and the purpose of doing so was to protect me."

She added that the former minister relocated her and the children to the US to avoid issues with his wife.

Chweya says that she was always faithful to Nyachae and has never divorced him.

She alleges that she hired a consultancy firm in London to locate her husband when he was unwell and allegedly received information from Martha, one of Nyachae's other wives, that he was in London receiving treatment.

"I hired a consultancy firm based in London to help locate my husband so that we can pass and see him before heading back to the United States. I have always been faithful honest to my husband and never had any disagreement with him neither have we divorced.

"As his security watchman Peter Onsongo attests that my husband was proud of his wives me included."

Chweya claims that after he died, she got his death certificate, wrote to the area chief, who allegedly recognised her.

On the burial date, Chweya claims she was ordered to leave, which angered her son Rodney. "I begged my son not to say anything. Slowly we simply walked away," she said, adding that she acted when she saw a gazette notice requiring anyone who wants to claim an interest in the estate to file their opposition.

Chweya had initially tasked Lubulellah and Company advocates to argue her case. However, the firm told the court that they would cease representing her, as she had not communicated with the law firm. Meanwhile, she has hired a new law firm to continue with the case.

The case will be heard on Tuesday.

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