Late Cabinet Minister Njenga Karume's Family Ends Three-Year Bitter Battle for Sh17 Billion Estate

The late former Cabinet Minister Njenga Karume's family have brought to an end the long and bitter tussle over their father's multi-billion shilling estate. 

Speaking during a joint media briefing in Nairobi, the children’s representatives and the estate trustees announced they had agreed sell part of the estate in order to settle Sh2.5 billion debt.

“Doing the evaluation at the moment, we have arrived at a figure of about Sh17.8 billion for the estate. When we look at all our debt portfolio we’re thinking about Sh2.5 billion which is 15 per cent of the value of estate and that includes what we owe KRA, banks, creditors and contractors,” one of the estate representatives said.

He added: “We will have an estate that is debt less, probably not cash rich but with ability to generate cash from the operations it has from the hospitality industry."

One of the Karume’s children said the common ground was arrived at after the family and trustees agreed to settle the dispute out of the court through a mediation process. The three-year court battle was about who and how the estate should be managed.

“After a series of 10 meetings, we have found that there are somethings we have common ground and we found it important to put our individual interests aside and work together for the common good of achieving the vision,” said Jane Matu, the fifth born in the Karume family.

Reverend Geoffrey Njenga who was the chief mediator said the process commented about three months ago.

“I wish to commend them highly as mediation is the best way to resolve these kind of conflicts,” said Rev. Njenga. “Family matters cant be resolved in court.”