A Kenyan woman in the United States of America whoclaims to be one of the widows of former cabinet minister Simeon Nyachae has refuted claims that she was married to four men and not the late minister.
Margaret Chweya Nyachae has sued one of Nyachae’s wives and her son over the control of his multi-billion estate.
She accuses Grace Nyachae and her son Leon Nyachae of conspiring to disinherit her of her share of her late husband’s estate.
Through lawyer Danstan Omari, Chweya claims that she is the fourth wife of the late Minister with whom she had three children.
According to the applicant the minister had six wives and she became the fourth one and Grace the fifth one after two of the women married divorced the minister.
Margaret, 67, who resides in Los Angeles, California has refuted claims by the respondents that she is unknown to the family of Nyachae claiming that she met the minister in 1970 and later married in 1974 when she was employed at Jogoo House.
She claims that as far as she is concerned, she is known to her co-wives adding that she married Nyachae under customary law.
“I am well known as Mrs Simeon Nyachae to a lot of people especially those who are close to the respondents,” Chweya states in her affidavit.
She refutes claims by Leon that she is just claiming to be Nyachae’s wife stating that she is indeed his true wife whom he married before Leon was born and before his mother met the late minister.
“I am known to my co-wives, Martha and Grace Wamuyu unless things have changed. As far as I am concerned I know my co-wives,” she adds.
She further claims “I am Mrs. Simeon Nyachae, the fourth wife. I am not claiming like Leon states. I got married traditionally to Hon. Simeon Nyachae before Leon Nyachae was born and that is also before Grace Wamuyu Leon’s mother was known to Hon Simeon Nyachae. Nyachae paid my dowry to my late Uncle Samson Obaga Okao because dad David Chweya passed away on 3rd July 1970.”
Margaret says that after the birth of their second child, Nyachae bought her a house in Loresho and also paid for her college education. According to her, Nyachae married all of them traditionally and are all equal regardless of the position held in life.
Married to four other men
She also denied being married to four men as alleged by a private investigator hired by the respondents to dig about her. She dismissed the report of the private investigator which Leon presented in court on grounds that the paperwork is misleading, incomplete and falsely altered to intentionally push their agenda.
The investigator has indicated that the applicant was married twice in Kenya and twice in the US.
But, Margret terms the allegations as false saying she was only married to the late minister had has never been disrespectful nor unfaithful to him
Further, she is contesting the authenticity of a will presented in court claiming that the signature drafted on it is not Nyachae’s.
“I am contesting the authenticity of the only thing they have presented to this court as a will. Looking at the will, the said executors conflict with the content of the said will as well and not all the properties are listed,” she argues.
She also accuses Grace and her son of having already sold some of Nyachae’s properties, to American investors without minding that succession is in progress.
“This is a battle of wives and not children.”
According to her affidavit, Nyachae was the one who relocated her to the US and found a job for her at the Kenyan Embassy in Washington before relocating her again to the Tourism office in LA.
She claims that the move was to protect her from one of his other wives who was not happy that he had married another wife and started issuing death threats to her and the late minister.
Margaret also claims that there are messages between her and her co-wives and some of their children, a clear indication that she is not a stranger but well known to them.
She avers that Nyachae was involved in management of their matrimonial home in Loresho and frequently visited them in the US. He also catered for the family financially and ensured they did not lack anything.
The case will be heard on 4th July 2023.
