Five widows and several children of the former Nakuru North MP have suffered a setback after the High Court in Nakuru upheld an earlier ruling that awarded the majority of the estate to three of Kihika’s wives.
In a ruling delivered this week, the court declined to review its March 14, 2025, judgment in which it allocated a substantial portion of the estate to Kihika’s first three wives.
“The application dated May 21, seeking a review of the court’s judgment, is hereby dismissed because it lacks merit,” ruled the court.
However, the court granted the five remaining widows and their children a 45-day window to appeal if they are dissatisfied with the decision.
“The court allows those not satisfied with the ruling to file an appeal. The applicants have the right to appeal the ruling,” the judge stated.
The court said that the decision was partial, noting that the entire estate had not yet been valued and also directed the appointed valuation agency to expedite its report.
The late former Nakuru North MP Dickson Kihika Kimani with two of his wives.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“After the valuation, the court will be able to make a full determination in the succession case and order the estate to be distributed,” he said.
Those who have so far received a larger share of the property include widows Margaret Wambui, Alice Mukuhi and Jane Wanjiru, together with their 23 children.
The court ruled that widows Mary Wangari, Winnie Wanjiru, Charity Nyambura, Miriam Warau and Lucy Wangari had not provided sufficient grounds to warrant equal distribution of the estate among all eight houses.
Although the five widows had proposed an equal division of assets, the court said it had relied on Section 40 of the Law of Succession Act, which requires consideration of each wife’s contribution to the acquisition of the property.
The ruling has already attracted opposition from some family members who argue that it disregards the wishes of the other widows, who prefer equal sharing of the inheritance.
The matter will be mentioned on January 29, 2026.
Kihika’s death on November 19, 2004, sparked a protracted succession battle involving his eight widows and more than 40 children, each claiming a share of his vast wealth.
During his political peak, the firebrand legislator amassed billions of shillings in land, real estate, company shares and businesses.
The late Dickson Kihika Kimani.
Photo credit: File | nation Media Group
Among the at least 30 properties listed in court are 109 acres at Muthengera Farm (Nyahururu), 57 acres at Shangilia Farm, 153 acres at Roselyn Farm (Njoro), 314 acres at Marmanet Farm (Laikipia), properties in Engashura, Bahati Constituency and numerous parcels in Laikipia, Njoro, Nyahururu, Naivasha, Gilgil, Subukia, Nairobi, Bahati and Molo.
Only part of the estate has so far been distributed, as 24 properties still have unresolved issues, including missing titles.
At the Engashura home, the court allocated one of the 13 houses to Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika—daughter of Mukuhi—and others to Elvis Kungu, Cyrus Kimani, Daniel Kungu and Anthony Gichihia.
The first three widows told the court that applying a strict statutory formula was unfair, as it would give them less than what they had enjoyed for decades. They sought a mode of distribution that would give them a larger share.
The fourth to eighth houses opposed this approach, insisting on equal distribution.
The court, however, noted that the respective contributions of the widows and their households must be acknowledged in the final distribution.
“This court is alive to the risk of using a formula based solely on years of union with the deceased, as it may lead to discriminatory outcomes, especially since the estate remains unvalued,” he said.
Earlier this year, the court warned that the family risks losing a significant portion of the estate after administrators failed to prove ownership of some properties. Assets with disputes or missing documentation cannot be distributed until the issues are resolved.
The judge directed the administrators to collectively provide proof of ownership and present all disputes before the appropriate forum.
“The failure by all administrators to avail title documents has hampered the court from rendering a final decision. Assets subject to dispute are not free and cannot be distributed until the dispute is settled,” the judge said.
The four administrators include widows Margaret Wambui, Alice Mukuhi, Mary Wangari and Miriam Warau.
Former Nakuru politician Dickson Kihika Kimani.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The widows’ families include Wambui (7 children), Mukuhi (11 children), Wanjiru (5 children),
Mary (4 children), Wanjeri (2 children), Nyambura (6 children), Warau (3 children) and Lucy (2 children).
The succession case has dragged on for over 20 years due to disagreements among the widows on how to distribute the estate.
The dispute began in 2005 and paused on October 13, 2009, when then Justice David Maraga appointed four widows—Margaret Wambui, Alice Mukuhi, Winnie Wanjeri and Miriam Warau—as administrators.
The conflict resurfaced on September 14, 2018, when their children argued that the widows had grown old and filed a joint application to replace them—reviving the fight over the vast estate.
