NEW REPORT: THE SHOCK OF BEING WITHOUT A WILL FOR CHILDREN BORN BY RICH SUPER DADS
By Nyambega Gisesa
Children from super rich families without a will or without indisputable proof from their fathers that they are their children risk spending more than Sh 2.3 million to proof so after the death of their father, according to research published by a private investigator, Crime Scene Investigation.
By contrast, children from the same families can request their fathers to pay only lawyers fees to secure a will or spend Sh30, 000 for a DNA test.
The research represents the first comprehensive attempt in the country to highlight the plight that members from Kenya’s rich families undergo during inheritance battles and/or in paternity suits.
The research also finds that children born by super rich families from different tribes experienced different levels of trauma when their parent dies without leaving a will.
A Child born from a super rich dad in the Luhya ,Luo and Kenyan Caucasian community has the highest trauma level of 3 against such a child from the Kikuyu and Kalenjin community with a trauma level of 1.Children born to politicians also have a trauma level of 1.
The report also shows that men from different communities can marry an average of different number of wives.
A Luhya man topples the list with an average of 3 wives, followed by Luo with 2 then Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Kenyan Caucasian and politician fathers with only one wife.
Consequently, a Luyha super rich dad averages 7 children per wife, followed by Kikuyu and Luo with 5 children, Kalenjin and politicians with 4 children and lastly the Kenyan Caucasian with only 2 children per wife.
Politicians and Luhya super dads are likely to have 3 steady mistresses each, Luo and Kalenjin 2 while Kenyan Caucasian and Kikuyu super rich dad only one steady mistress. With the steady mistress, the Luhya man is top of the list with 4 children born with the mistress, the kalenjin closely follows with 3 children, Kikuyu ,Luo and politician 2 each while the Kenyan Caucasian only one kid.
Only in the Luo and Luhya primary families, will the family members be aware of the mistresses
The research has been carried out by Crime Scene Investigation Nairobi, the first private forensic lab in Africa ..The research was carried out in the last one year based on present and past sibling testing and exhumations conducted by CSI Nairobi among the super rich dads aged 65 years and above.
The report went goes further than any other work in trying to evaluate the effects to families once super dad fathers die.
According to the report, if a super rich father dies children from both primary families and mistress families born by politicians, kalenjin and kikuyu fathers are highly traumatized. There will also be a protracted court dispute in the above groups over the deceased’s property if he dies interstate (without leaving a will).
If one dies interstate among the Luo and Luhya community, clan elders will solve the property disputes leaving the family members less traumatized. It is only a Kenyan Caucasian dad who will die testate and leave his children and mistress catered for in his will.
The report shows that 95% of Kenyans aged above 65 years have not made a written will.
Kinyanjui Murigi, director of CSI Nairobi, wrote about the dangers children born by rich fathers face once they die and what the report wanted to expose : “…, the onus falls squarely on those who will suffer most from the demise of their super rich dad…the children,”
Recently Patricia Nyaundi the Executive Director of Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) told Saturday Magazine about the importance of a written will and clear definition of beneficiaries.
“Make sure you are clear on who you want as your beneficiary (in your will),” she told Saturday Magazine.
There are two types of wills. A written will must be signed by witnessed by two or more people and the date should be updated while an oral will must be made in the presence of two or more witnesses for it to be valid and is only applicable if the person dies within three months from the date of making it.
Legal fee for making a will is pegged on the value of the listed property but organizations like FIDA-Kenya, Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREW) and Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW) assist those who cannot afford the legal fees.
engisesa@yahoo.com
