Esther Wangui, a 115-year-old woman, is contesting claims by her grandson David Wairegi Karuri over ownership of valuable land in Nakuru. The dispute has reached court with multiple cases involving inherited property. Wangui asserts her rights based on a 1988 land allocation letter.
The land dispute between 115-year-old Esther Wangui and her grandson David Wairegi Karuri has escalated in the Environment and Land Court. Karuri, along with Jelioth Wanjira, the widow of the late Godfrey Wairegi, former head of Gateway Insurance, have filed separate cases against the grandmother. The main case concerns Njoro Ndarugu Plot No. 17 in Njoro Sub-County, Nakuru County.
According to Karuri, the farm belonged to the late Wairegi, who died in 2012 and directed it to be registered in his and his mother's names. He discovered in 2024 that his name had been removed through fraud without his consent. “The plaintiff never signed any document to transfer ownership nor received any payment for his share of the land,” Karuri stated. He seeks the court to restore his name and bar Wangui from any transactions.
Wangui, who has entrusted her son John Gakure with legal matters, denies the claims, calling them a conspiracy to dispossess her of property. She claims legitimate ownership based on a 1988 land allocation letter. “The defendant insists that no title deed for that land has ever been issued, and the allocation letter alone proves she is the owner of the farm,” Gakure said.
Another 2016 case involves a four-bedroom house worth over Sh15 million on half an acre in Njoro. Wangui claims it was gifted by her children, including the late Wairegi. However, Wanjira says she contributed to its purchase and it was registered solely in her name after her husband's 2011 death. “I committed no criminal offense by registering the land in my name as I followed the law,” Wanjira stated.
The court granted Wangui a life interest in Njoro Block 5/309 land, but she appealed, awaiting hearing, arguing the judge erred in not recognizing the property was not part of Wairegi's estate.