The family of former Makueni Senator, the late Mutula Kilonzo, has finally agreed to resolve their property dispute in an out-of-court settlement.
The family members are now required to amicably identify the mediator who will be appointed by the High Court to thrash out all the contentious issues involving the assets and liabilities of the late Mutula’s estate and distribution to all beneficiaries.
Justice Rose Ougo today allowed the late Senator’s second wife, Cyrose Nduku and daughter Kethi Kilonzo to make the necessary consultations to facilitate urgent alternative dispute resolution mechanism. The Judge gave the warring parties two weeks to identify the ideal mediator and directed them to report back on March 21.
The late Mutula, who died in April 2013 at his expansive Kwa Kyelu ranch in Maanzoni, Machakos County, previously served in then President Mwai Kibaki’s coalition Government as the minister for Constitutional Affairs and Education. He was a former Mbooni Member of Parliament, former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Chairman, Senior Counsel and managed his private legal practice, Kilonzo and Company Advocate.
The renowned politician had reportedly left a Will but the children from his first marriage that ended in divorce-including lawyer Kethi and Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr-had petitioned the court for intervention to be appointed co-administrators. They were opposed to their step-mother, Nduku, from unilaterally handling the distribution of the estate.
The late Mutula’s children by his first marriage have proposed that their eldest brother-Senator Mutula Jnr, to be appointed a joint-executor of the Will. They claim that Nduku deliberately excluded some assets from the inventory that has been presented in court and are seeking orders blocking her from disposing or transferring shares of all private firms that comprise the ownership of the estate.
Nduku, who has three adult sons, remained the sole executor of the estate after the late Mutula’s father-the late Mzee Kilonzo Musembi, died in 2000. She has undertaken to provide a comprehensive account of the estate and administer it according to the law.