Court settles ex-MP Njenga Karume estate dispute after 10-year family feud

The late businessman and politician Njenga Karume

A Nairobi court has upheld the Will of the late businessman and politician Njenga Karume, closing a decade-long legal battle over his multimillion-shilling estate.

The ruling, delivered virtually on June 16, 2025, confirmed the grant issued to three executors—James Raymond Njenga, Stephen Ndungu Karau, and Francisca Wanjiku Kahiu—and approved the distribution of assets based on a consent agreement signed in February this year.

“Grant issued to James Raymond Njenga, Stephen Ndungu Karau, and Francisca Wanjiku Kahiu on April 5, 2014, is hereby confirmed,” ruled Justice Patricia Nyaundi.

The decision dismissed a protest by the widow and daughter of the late Joseph Karume Njenga, one of Karume’s sons.

They claimed the Will discriminated against them and excluded their estate from family companies and compensation linked to a disputed South C property valued at Sh79 million.

However, the court ruled that the property in question belonged to Karume Investment Limited and was not part of the estate under succession proceedings.

It also found that past family mediation in 2018 failed to resolve the matter, which could not be enforced under Karume’s estate liabilities.

Justice Nyaundi emphasized that the court's mandate was limited to distributing Njenga Karume’s estate—not to decide on internal company matters or the estate of Joseph Karume.

The court found no evidence of discrimination, noting that the burden of proof lay with the protestors under Section 109 of the Evidence Act.

Only one out of ten beneficiary families had objected to the consent, and the Will had already made provisions for Karume’s children and grandchildren, including those now deceased.

Although the protesters were not explicitly included in the original Will, the rest of the family agreed to accommodate them. The court described this move as fair and just.

As part of the final settlement, Joseph Karume Njenga’s estate was awarded Sh30 million in cash, a tenth of listed local and international shares, 10% of proceeds from stock sales in Kiguthe Farmers (K) Limited, shares in Forest Road Flats and Jacaranda Holdings, 25% of Karume’s stake in Bamburi Cement PLC, and Sh1 million in lieu of the Laikipia property.

The court directed the executors to complete asset transmission within six months. Each party will bear their legal costs.

The ruling brings closure to one of Kenya’s most-watched succession disputes, centred on a prominent figure in the country's political and business landscape.