'Not my father': Woman disowns mother's claim to Simeon Nyachae's vast estate

A 36-year-old woman has disowned a petition filed by her mother, who is claiming a share of late politician Simeon Nyachae’s estate.

Ms Patricia Moraa Odero told Justice Eric Ogolla that she did not give her mother- Margaret Kerubo Chweya- the authority to file the succession case in her name. 

Video link

Testifying through a video link from the US, Ms Odero further revealed that she knows her biological father as George Gordon Odero and that she never met or spoke to Mr Nyachae. Mr Nyachae died on February 1, 2021.

Ms Chweya said in her petition that she was married to Mr Nyachae as the fourth wife, through a traditional ceremony sometime in 1973, and the dowry was paid to her uncle, Samson Obaga Okao, because her dad- David Chweya passed on in 1970.

Never known any other father 

But her daughter (Ms Odero) distanced herself from the petition saying she has never known any other father except for Mr Odero.

“That I wish to categorically state that I did not grant authority (whether written or otherwise) to any party to file a lawsuit in my name in this instant suit- that is, in the matter of the succession of the late honourable Simeon Nyachae,” she said in an affidavit filed in court.

DNA paternity test

According to Ms Odero, she undertook a DNA paternity test in May 2022, which confirmed that Mr Odero was her father. 

Asked whether she was bitter towards her mother, Ms Odero said even though they are not so close, she loves her mother.  She said they differed when her mother disapproved of her (Odero’s) husband.

She revealed that they last visited each other in 2018 although they met physically last year.

Beneficiaries of Mr Nyachae's estate

Ms Chweya has challenged her exclusion and that of her three children, including Ms Odero from the list of beneficiaries of Mr Nyachae’s estate, estimated to be worth Sh2 billion estate.

She claimed that she had three children -Rodney David, John Paul Chweya and Patricia from the union with Mr Nyachae.

Ms Chweya is fighting to be joined in a succession case pending before the High Court. She has sued Charles Nyachae, Angela and Eric, who are the administrators of the estate.

University of Southern California 

Testifying last year, Ms Chweya admitted that she got into a relationship with Mr Odero while studying at the University of Southern California, around 1987. She recalled that they met at the Kenyan consulate and he started stalking her.

She told the court that she told her husband about them man. 

She argued that the former minister relocated her and her children to the United States to avoid issues with his other wives. 

The hearing was adjourned June 27.