Woman denied right to inherit ex-MP

by Stella Mwangi

The High Court in Nakuru has dismissed an application by a woman claiming to be the wife of the late Rift Valley politician, Dickson Kihika Kimani.

Justice David Maraga ruled there was no evidence of either a Kikuyu customary marriage or the presumption of marriage due to cohabitation and excluded the applicant from the deceased’s estate.

Ms Grace Wanjiru Kihika had gone to court to object a move by Kihika’s other wives and sons to exclude her and her daughter from the late politician’s wealth.

She was asking the court to declare her one of the beneficiaries of the late Kihika’s estate.

She had asked the court to find that she had been legally married to Kihika and in the absence of any proof, rule that there was a presumption of marriage to the 77-year-old man.

She had narrated to the court how she had gone to search for a job at the deceased’s home in August 2000, but the politician fell in love with her at first sight.

Wanjiru claimed Kihika then asked her if she would accept to be his wife and asked her not to go back home and to remain in his house with him, to which she agreed.

Customary law

The applicant had testified that Kihika had given Sh115,000 to her parents as bride price and asserted she was married to the deceased according to Kikuyu customary law.

She alleged to having lived with Kihika for two-and-a-half years.