The family of the late politician John Keen has been embroiled in a prolonged legal tussle over the vast empire he left behind estimated to be worth Ksh.13 billion.
The family feud rages on, despite the existence of a detailed Will that Keen wrote before he died in 2015.
Keen died in December 2016 and left behind a written Will dated December 2, 2015. He appointed Supreme Court Judge Isaac Lenaola, lawyer Maina Wachira, and his children Rosemary Sanau and Pamela Soila as the executors of the Will.
The children of the first wife, Gladwell Wairimu, filed a case in court against Pamela Soila Keen and Rosemary Keen, seeking ownership of the John Keen property that they claim was solely acquired by the late politician and their mother before she died in 2020. Justice Lenaola resigned as an executor while lawyer Maina Wachira has since passed on.
Court documents seen by Citizen Digital reveal that J. Keen Investment had 24,500 shares worth an estimated Ksh.11 billion.
Additionally, the politician had shares at Safaricom estimated to be worth Ksh.11.8 million, 3,666 shares at Standard Chartered Bank worth Ksh.659,880. He also had Ksh.34 million in his account at the same bank, and Ksh.53 million in his Kenya Commercial Bank account at the time of his death.
His land at Namanga was valued at Ksh.10 million, while 150 acres at Mailua, Kajiado County, was estimated to be around Ksh.13.5 million. He also possessed another 125 acres in Meto, Kajiado County worth Ksh.11.2 million.
Keen's most priced asset in the Will was a piece of land in Kilifi worth Ksh.270 million.
As per the court document, Keen bequeathed all rental income and other proceeds from the buildings erected on the piece of land in Namanga to the trustee for the general welfare of his wife Gladys Wairimu Keen and Denis Kirut Keen.
According to the court document, Victoria Naishorua Keen was allocated Ksh.5 million and 10 acres of land in Kajiado, Lydia Shellel Keen was allocated Ksh.5 million and 10 acres of land in Kajiado while Nichols Sangale Keen was allocated 1000 shares in J.Keen investment and 50 acres in Kajiado.
The court document indicates that Eva Sein Keen received Ksh.5 million and 10 acres of land in Kajiado, Dennis Kiruti Keen was allocated all rental income and other proceeds from the building erected on their piece of land in Namanga and Clifford Lemetika Keen was allocated 1000 shares in J.Keen Investment, equivalent shares allocated in Resson Garden Limited and 50 acres in Kajiado.
In his Will, referred to in the court document, he gave his daughter Silole Wangui his Standard Chartered Bank and Safaricom shares and directed the money in the bank to be used for education and cater for issues his wife and children could not manage. The rest remain unclear.
Keen served as an Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Kajiado North MP from 1969 to 1979.
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