Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has made public the contents of his late brother’s will, in a decisive move aimed at quelling growing allegations of mismanagement and irregularities surrounding the estate.
In a notice published in local dailies on Wednesday, Gachagua—an executor of the estate alongside lawyers Mwai Mathenge and Njoroge Regeru—said the disclosure was necessary to address concerns raised by a section of beneficiaries.
According to the statement, only five out of the 23 beneficiaries had questioned the administration of the estate. However, the executors said the nature of the claims had effectively triggered a “public audit” conducted without access to full records, prompting them to release a detailed account.
“The statement aims to set the record straight with clarity and finality,” the notice explained, adding that the publication was intended to counter incomplete and potentially misleading narratives.
The development follows reports that some members of the Gachagua family had written to President William Ruto seeking intervention. In their appeal, they called for investigations into alleged fraud, forgery, and unlawful interference in the handling of the estate.
The executors, however, insisted that the will’s contents were not new and had long been known to all beneficiaries.
Nderitu Gachagua passed away on February 24, 2017, at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. A week earlier, on February 17, he had formally executed a will outlining in detail how his wealth was to be distributed.
The will provides a structured allocation of assets among family members and other beneficiaries. A property in Nairobi’s Lang’ata/Karen area was left to his first wife, Margaret Nyokabi, to hold in trust for the family.
His second wife, Margaret Waithiegeni, inherited two additional homes located in Karen and Nyeri—properties she was already occupying at the time of his death. The executors confirmed that ownership of these properties has since been formally transferred to her in line with the deceased’s wishes.
The ancestral home, comprising four acres and a residential house, was allocated equally to the deceased’s two eldest sons, Kenneth Gachagua and Jason Kariuki. The pair reportedly took possession of the property in 2022 and have been residing there since.
In addition, shares in Mweiga Homes were bequeathed to Rigathi Gachagua himself.
Beyond individual assets, the will also set out a broader formula for distributing the estate.
After settling debts and liabilities, 62 percent of the net estate was allocated to was allocated to Nderitu’s immediate family. A further 22 per cent was designated for 14 other beneficiaries, including siblings and step-siblings.
Administrative expenses and third-party liabilities accounted for 11 percent, while the three executors were collectively assigned five percent of the estate.
The statement further detailed the sale of several high-value properties, noting that all were disposed of above their reserve prices.
Olive Gardens Hotel was sold for Sh412 million against a reserve of Sh325 million, Queensgate Estate fetched Sh590 million compared to Sh470 million, and Vipingo Estate was sold for Sh250 million, exceeding its Sh170 million reserve price.
Combined, the three transactions generated approximately Sh1.25 billion.
The executors defended the sales, stating they reflected the best available offers at the time and were consistent with their fiduciary duty to maximise returns for beneficiaries.
