Late Cabinet Minister Mbiyu Koinange’s Family to Finally Share Sh10 Billion Estate

The family of the late Kenyan politician Mbiyu Koinange is finally set to share Sh10 billion estate after years of court battles.

This comes after Mbiyu’s last-born daughter Lennah Wanjiku dropped her appeal against a court ruling that ordered her to surrender 88-acre parcel of land located next to Two Rivers Mall in Nairobi, Business Daily reported.

Her attorney, Ochieng Oduol said Ms. Wanjiku dropped the case to avoid further delay in distribution of the estate left behind by the late former Cabinet Minister.

The move effectively brings to an end a succession battle that has lasted for 38 years.

“Our client will be asking the court to offer her preference over the property during the distribution of the assets. Everyone knows she has developed it and that is where she resides. We will return the title to court as directed,” Lawyer Oduol was quoted by Business Daily.

Ms. Wanjiku was ordered to return the land worth Sh1.4 billion following a case filed by Koinange’s fourth wife, Eddah Wanjiru. Ms. Wanjiru was reportedly being backed by a majority of the family members. 

The case had threatened to delay the implementation of a Supreme Court ruling that ordered Koinange's Sh10 billion empire be distributed to his four wives and all their dependents. The apex court established that Koinange had four wives, not two.

Koinange’s property includes undeveloped plots in Nairobi CBD, a Sh2 billion holding next to the Reinsurance Plaza, shares in several companies including Magadi Soda, BAT, Centum, and Limuru Dairy as well multi-billion-shilling land and buildings in Kiambu, Nakuru, and Mombasa.