Inside administrators' struggles to manage the estates of fallen relatives

A court gavel symbolising legal battles over inheritance and estate administration. [File, Standard]

Estate administrators in inheritance cases are tasked with identifying a deceased person's assets, settling liabilities, and distributing the property to rightful beneficiaries.

However, court cases show the troubles administrators undergo while executing the estates; ironically, the trouble they face stems from close family members with equal interests.

Over the last 12 years, James Kipsigei, 83, has faced huddles from his siblings, children and grandchildren, while managing his father’s estate.

Kipsigei moved to court, seeking orders to distribute Sh14.65 million from Ketraco Company and a 72-acre land in Ngata, Rongai, to his family members.

To aid his mission, he hired Lawyer Andrew Geke to represent him against his sisters, stepmother, and children, who also wanted control of the estate.

The case was concluded on July 4, 2023, and Kipsigei was appointed the administrator, alongside his stepmother, Flossy Cherotich and Alice Chepngeno.

Trial Judge Hillary Chemitei also ordered the remaining land to be subdivided among the beneficiaries.

“The compensation from Ketraco Company totalling Sh14.65 million should be paid out to those whose parcels have been affected by Kenya Power lines,” ruled Chemitei.

However, Kipsigei claimed that after the case concluded, Geke refused to surrender the court file and title deed for the land as instructed, despite directions from the court.

He wondered why Geke frustrated them, despite the fact that the family agreed to give him 4 acres as payment.

After various efforts from the High Court, Geke finally surrendered the file in April 2025.

However, over the last year, Kipsigei has struggled to get security from local authorities that would enable them to survey and distribute the estate.

He is seeking compelling orders to implement the same.

In April this year, the High Court removed the son of renowned Laikipia Rancher Mohammed Bhola as the administrator of the estate, ending a 30-year-old dispute.

Judge Patricia Gichohi ruled that Mohammed Shabir was unfit to manage his late father’s estate. She revoked the grant of letters of administration, issued to him on August 7, 1998.

Instead, the judge directed the family to appoint another administrator.

Shabir had managed his father’s property since 1998, which includes Bhola house in Nakuru City, Rift Valley Electrical and Kanini Plaza, over 6000 heads of cattle, 5000 goats and 4000 sheep and other properties in and outside Kenya.

“Within 30 days, the beneficiaries are directed to appoint new administrators for the management of the estate,” ruled Gichohi.

According to Gichohi, Bhola’s grandchildren proved that their uncle Shabir engaged in the waste of estate properties, thereby exposing the assets to the risk of total dissipation.

He allegedly subdivided and sold family properties to third parties and leased other properties without authority.

“Evidence shows the administrator failed to discharge his duties as required”, she ruled.

In another case, the son of former Nakuru Mayor Herman Nderi won a property dispute against his siblings, with the court allowing him to solely control the family’s properties.

Judge Samwel Mohochi ruled that Kevin Wangombe was fit to manage the properties of his father after he died on May 23, 2024. 

Wangombe’s siblings challenged his bid to control part of the estate. They moved to court, wanting him to be found guilty of contempt of court.

His siblings, Anthony Marine, Jane Wangeshi and Billy Nduati claimed that he had disobeyed court orders that stopped any interference with the family estate.

“The court is unable to find the respondent (Wangombe) guilty of contempt of court because no specific details are proving he has disobeyed court orders,” ruled Mohochi.

One of the properties in Mariakani, Shabaab, measuring 0.07 acres, was estimated to be worth Sh18 million by May 7, 2024. Another property is in Naka Estate and another is in Milimani Estate.

The three wanted Mohochi to restrain Wangombe from collecting rent, intermeddling, leasing or selling the properties.

In response, Wangombe stated that he was the one who was staying with their father and took care of him before he died.

The grandson and daughter-in-law of the late politician Kibowen Komen were summoned in court for disobeying court orders issued in favour of the estate administrators.

Kibowen’s estate comprises 3,600 acres, petrol stations, shares at the East African Breweries and parcels of land scattered across Nakuru and Baringo counties.

Judge Mohochi summoned Micah Bowen and Grace Komen.

Bowen allegedly refused to surrender a title deed he holds for a 2,619-acre plot of land in Rongai Sub-County to the administrators.

Grace is said to have used goons to restrict the administrators from surveying and subdividing land in Njoro Sub-County.

The administrators, Peter Kipruto, Abdulghani Mohamed, Abdulkadir Mohammed and Evan Kiptui, complained that they had been frustrated by extended family members.

“We have been unable to excise 66 acres from the estate, to pay creditors, as ordered by the court in 2010, due to frustrations,” they claimed.

The dispute was so severe that the court intervened and even visited the property. However, the case has been delayed since 1997, and administrators have died while others quit due to frustrations.

According to Lawyer George Kamau, estate administration was risky and had claimed lives, broken family ties and made administrators greedy.

“It is difficult to manage estates where all relatives involved want control,” he said.

Judge Mohochi had raised concerns, noting that the estate disputes had been delayed in court for decades to the detriment of beneficiaries.