Family feud over Stanley Githunguri’s estate reaches court

Kenyan businessman and former Kiambaa MP Stanley Munga Githunguri is at the center of a closely watched family court fight that has reopened questions about how some of the country’s largest private estates are managed. 

The dispute pits Githunguri against his eldest son, Joseph Munga, over the ownership and control of family assets running into the billions of shillings, a case that has exposed deep divisions inside one of Kiambu’s most prominent families.

Family dispute reaches High Court

At the heart of the case is a High Court ruling that allows Joseph to question his father in court about the structure and ownership of key assets. The decision followed objections from Githunguri’s daughters, Lilian Joy Ngagaki and Lilian Wanjiru, who argued that their father’s age and health made such questioning inappropriate.

Judges rejected that argument, saying the process should move forward and stressing that the order did not permit arrest or any form of force. The court said the questioning could take place at Githunguri’s home. Githunguri, who died in 2022 in his late 80s, was widely known for a life that mirrored Kenya’s post-independence economic story. He began work as a coffee picker before building a fortune through farming, land deals and commercial property development.

Over decades, he assembled assets that include Lilian Towers in Nairobi’s central business district, Ridgeways Mall and large parcels of land in Kiambu and Ruiru. Many of those properties generate regular rental income and sit in areas that have seen sharp gains in value.

Court filings say statements made by Githunguri before his death could help clarify who ultimately owns properties held through a mix of trusts and firms. Joseph argues that without his father’s testimony, conflicting claims will remain unresolved. His sisters argue that the existing succession channels should handle the estate, citing the risk of harm from the process.

Court weighs settlement in estate case

This reflects a familiar pattern in disputes involving wealthy families. “Large estates often end up in court when succession planning leaves gaps,” said Nairobi-based lawyer James Mwangi, noting that informal arrangements can become flashpoints once family relationships strain.

The implications stretch beyond the family. Several of the contested properties are leased to corporate tenants and are part of Nairobi’s commercial real estate market. Lawyers say ownership disputes can stall refinancing, raise questions for tenants and make banks reluctant to accept such properties as security.

While the court has yet to fix dates for the questioning, judges have left the door open for a negotiated settlement. Until then, the Githunguri case underscores a recurring reality in Kenya’s property sector: as land values rise and estates grow more complex, family disagreements increasingly end up before a judge, with courts asked to settle matters once handled privately.