A Mombasa woman is claiming that the former National Youth Service (NYS) Director General, Dr Nelson Githinji, is the father of her baby. She is accusing Dr Githinji of shirking his parental responsibilities after making her pregnant.
The veterinary surgeon by training stepped aside following a public outcry over the loss Sh791 million at the youth agency that fall under the Ministry of Devolution, that was then headed by Anne Waiguru, who is now eyeing the Kirinyaga governorship seat in next year’s elections.
Dr Githinji, the one-time State House Comptroller during the Kibaki administration, is being accused by Maureen Akinyi Ogutu of fathering her daughter, who is now one year old, but abdicating his parental duties.
Dr Githinji, the first Kenyan to set foot in the Antarctic Peninsula, had offered to pay a monthly maintenance of Sh25,000, which Akinyi declined and instead countered with a Sh100,000 monthly upkeep demand.
Dr Githinji, who once served as President of American Chamber of Commerce in Kenya, later offered to pay Akinyi a one-off hush payment of Sh5 million, which could have gone a long way in helping her set up a café in Nyali, Mombasa, since her background is in hospitality.
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Dr Githinji, a one-time member of the Presidential Investors’ Round Table (for Uganda and Tanzania), had also verbally expressed a desire to buy a ‘Swahili style’ house for her, but “all the houses that fall in that range will attract heavy refurbishment for them to produce a reasonable income for the child’s upkeep and education” reads part of a letter from Christian Legal Education Aid and Research (CLEAR), the ‘Christian Lawyers for Justice’ in Mombasa.
Dr Githinji met Akinyi in December 2014 “when (President) Uhuru had come to Mombasa to initiate some projects. Dr Githinji was part of his entourage and I was introduced to him by a mutual friend,” claims Akinyi, adding that they hit it off, and within weeks, she was put in the family way. “He asked me to come to Nairobi so that we could discuss how to proceed with the matter of my pregnancy. We met and I told him I intended to keep the baby. He then gave me Sh200,000. In between the pregnancy, he would send me money only if I asked.”
Akinyi says that during her pregnancy, she tried on several occasions to reach Dr Githinji but was rebuffed by his security detail. “At one point, his personal assistant even accused me of trying to blackmail and extort money from Githinji, but all I need is assistance for my daughter. He has children he takes care of, why can’t he just support my daughter?” poses Akinyi.
Two weeks before she delivered, Akinyi says she called Dr Githinji and asked him for money. “He deposited Sh300,000 in my account. Thereafter, it’s been a struggle to get him to send me anything. I am jobless and a single mother now. I don’t want anything from him, all I want is that he takes care of his daughter. I can take care of myself,” says Akinyi.
She says she has gone to several lawyers but ‘something happened’ and her case was dropped. “The last lawyer I went to listened to me, and when he realised it was Dr Githinji who was my child’s father, he demanded Sh70,000 to open a file so that he can pursue the case. I don’t have that kind of money. I am living from hand to mouth, and right now, surviving on handouts from my friends. My house was locked by the landlord because I haven’t paid rent for four months,” lamented Akinyi.
She adds: “I can’t go out and get a job because my daughter is a year old, and I also can’t afford a nanny. I am really suffering. If he can pay for a nanny and expenses related to the baby, I can go out, look for a job and get back on my feet.”
In a demand letter dated June 8, 2016 addressed to Dr Githinji from CLEAR, an NGO, J A Mutsotso writes, “Maureen Atieno Ogutu has been referred to this office for legal action against you for failing to provide for your above mentioned child’s subsistence. Neither we nor Maureen want to go to court at this stage over this matter. Instead, we would like to invite you for a meeting to come and meet Maureen for a discussion to try to agree amicably on your child’s welfare. Please take notice that in default of attendance, we will have no option but to assist Maureen to proceed to the Children’s Court without any further notice to you. This will be at your own peril as to the legal costs and other consequences that will arise.”
Following the demand letter, a meeting was arranged and Akinyi’s lawyers met with Dr Githinji’s lawyers where a deal was struck. Dr Githinji reportedly agreed to pay a one-off lump sum that would cater for the child’s upkeep. To seal the deal, in a letter dated July 21, 2016, lawyer Mutsotso wrote to Dr Githinji’s lawyer, Mulei and company Advocates: “That if the respondent, your client herein would like to give a one-time lump sum (sic) payment to invest for the upkeep of the minor, the a sum of Sh5 million would be sufficient. This is because your client (Dr Githinji) had verbally indicated that he would be willing to buy a property for the complainant and had a Swahili type of house in mind. Our client has surveyed around and all the houses that fall in that range will attract heavy refurbishment for them to produce a reasonable income for the child’s upkeep and education. This proposal of Sh5 million is applicable only if your client’s offer is all inclusive.”
Contacted by The Nairobian, Dr Githinji referred us to Martin Mulei, his lawyer who gave a green light for publication of the story on grounds of factuality. “…dig deep and do your research, then publish your story,” said Mulei.
