How Richard Leakey's Sh17m estate will be shared

Dr Richard Leakey. [File, Standard]

Richard Erskine Frere Leakey, who died four years ago, was larger than life.

A conservationist, museum director and politician, Leakey gained fame for his ground breaking scientific discoveries on early hominids.

To many Kenyans, he was the definitive force against wildlife poaching.

The 77-year-old human paleoanthropologist passed away a day after ushering in the New Year in 2022, leaving behind a rich legacy that advanced the theory of Africa as the birthplace of mankind.

Yet, during his lifetime, much about who Leakey was beyond his public image, work and family remained little known.

The Saturday Standard can reveal, as it closes another chapter of his story, that despite his fame, Leakey lived a modest life and built a substantial estate, which he left to his wife, Meave Gillian, and their children, Samira Mary and Louise Nicol.

According to his, the son of Mary Nee Nicol and Louise Leakey tied his investments to a company, Dodo Limited. He also set aside extensive land holdings in Kajiado county, including five parcels of land in Onchore-Onyore, and another property, also in Loodariak.

Altogether, Leakey had 196 parcels, with the largest parcel measuring 1,089 acres.

Leakey entrusted his wife with managing and distributing his estate, appointing her as executor and trustee of his will.

He included a caveat that she would have full use of his wealth until her death; after which the estate would form part of a trust.

“I direct that my wife shall have the right to unrestricted personal use of the properties. After her death, the properties shall be held by the Leakey Family Trust (to be formed) in trust for the benefit of my daughters, Samira Mary Leakey (Samira) and Louise Nicole Leakey (Louise), in equal shares for the duration of the trust. Thereafter, the properties shall vest in them absolutely, provided that the trustee may sell portions of the properties to benefit my daughters,” he wrote.

The former Kenya National Museums director’s life was shaped by the legacy of his parents, who, at the time of his birth in Nairobi were exploring Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania for fossils.

Marriage 

In his 1983 autobiography, ‘One Life’, Leakey recounted how he and his two bothers often tagged along on these expeditions. Although he initially resented it, he eventually embraced the life of a fossil hunter, documenting the evolution of human beings.

Leakey first married archaeologist Margaret Cropper in 1965. He had met her a year earlier during an expedition to Lake Natron, a soda lake in Northern Tanzania.

The marriage, however, ended four years later amid frequent quarrels. He got Anna with her.

By then, Leakey had set his sights on a young zoologist, Meave, who had been hired by his father to work at the primate research centre. Early on, Maeve had heard stories portraying Leakey as a formidable figure. Yet upon meeting him, she was won over, and the two married in 1970, a year after divorce from his first wife.

In his will, Leakey makes no mention of Margaret or Anna.

He stipulated that if his daughters predeceased him, or died 30 days of his passing, their inheritance would remain in the trust for his grandchildren until they attain the age of 21.

“Such issue shall take by substitution, and if more than one, in equal shares per stirpes, so that no issue shall take whose parents are still alive and so capable of taking,” the will reads.

It further provides that if there are no grandchildren, the share of the deceased child would automatically transfer to the surviving child.

Leakey envisioned that his estate would be managed by a trust after his death. He granted it the authority to decide whether to sell or retain any movable assets to settle debts and obligations that he may have incurred during his lifetime.

He further directed that the trust ensures his children receive an education. Twenty-one years after his death, the trustees of the Leakey Family Trust would have the discretion to capitalize part or all of the remaining estate, after all specific gifts, debts, taxes and administrative expenses had been settled.

“Such debts, duties and legacies shall be paid primarily out of my personal and movable estate and the residue of such monies and the investments representing any part of my estate not yet converted—hereinafter referred to as ‘my Residuary Estate’—shall be held upon the trusts,” the will reads.

Leakey also empowered the trustees to decide whether to invest his estate in stocks, funds, shares or property.

This, however, came with the caution that no income from the estate would be treated as capital, either in part or in full.

Leakey also stipulated that a company, advocate, or an accountant could be appointed as a trustee and that they should be insured against risks while managing the estate.

“A corporation may be appointed a trustee or sole trustee hereof upon such terms as to remuneration as may be agreed in writing between such corporation and the person or persons making such appointment, or, in default of such agreement, in accordance with the corporation’s published terms and conditions for accepting trusts current at the date of its appointment,” the will reads.

Life interest

In line with his wishes, Meave, born in 1942, was granted a life interest in the 196 parcels of land. Upon her passing, the properties would be shared equally between their two children.

Although Meave was named executor, her children argued that, at 82, she was too elderly to manage the properties herself.

They also proposed that the shares worth 100,000 in Dodo Limited be divided equally between the two daughters, while ensuring their mother would be provided for throughout her life, including her residence.

“The parties, in consideration of the natural love and affection within the family, have reached a family agreement regarding the deceased’s estate and wish that it be distributed in accordance with the Deed of Family Arrangement,” court documents read in part.

The family estimated Leakey’s total estate, including assets and liquid cash, at around Sh17 million.

It was further agreed that an acre surrounding Leakey’s grave would be allocated to provide a path to the 1,089-acre property, which would then be divided equally between the two daughters

According to the agreement, the one acre would form part of the family’s burial plot.

Meanwhile, one vehicle would be sold, with the proceeds going to Meave, while the second vehicle would be allocated to Samira. Meave would also inherit all the money her late husband had banked during his lifetime.

The family further agreed to close and dissolve Richard Leakey and Associates, which held no assets.

“All legal costs, expenses, sub-division fees, stamp duties and registration charges in connection with these transfers and this deed shall be paid out of the deceased’s estate,” Meave and her daughters consented.

Public service

Samira also agreed to surrender her shares in Dodo Limited in exchange for a share of two plots in Lamu.

During his lifetime, Leakey was appointed by former President Daniel Arap Moi to head the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in 1989, at a time when Kenya faced a serious problem of elephant tusk poaching.

In a remarkable show of confidence in a man recovering from kidney surgery, the President tasked Leakey with cleaning up the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and protecting the country’s elephants.

As Leakey wrote, he welcomed a role that would keep him constantly challenged. He became a formidable opponent of poachers, confiscating ivory and publicly burning it on two occasions, the last time in 2016.

Leakey left KWS in 1994 after the government launched an investigation into alleged graft within the service, which he described as interference.

He then turned to politics, pursuing another long-held ambition: the presidency of Kenya.

In 1995, Leakey co-founded the Safina Party with senior lawyer Paul Muite, envisioning it as a platform to campaign for multi-party democracy and fight corruption.

Three years later, he became the first white Member of Parliament in Kenya’s history, winning the Langata Constituency seat, a milestone not achieved since independence.

He was later appointed Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of Public Service, serving for two years from 1999.

Leakey returned to KWS as chair of the board between 2015 and 2018.

Born on December 19, 1944, the renowned human fossils explorer passed away debt-free, leaving behind a lasting legacy in conservation, science and public service.