Heirs of Peter Mukuha Kago in fresh feud over Naivas

Key Points

• Grace Wambui and David Kimani Mukuha seek a new judicial panel, citing bias concerns in the ongoing dispute over Peter Mukuha Kago’s estate.
• Newton Kagira Mukuha accuses his siblings of manipulating court proceedings to maintain control of Naivas and sideline legitimate inheritance claims.
• The succession fight clouds Naivas’ future as it aggressively expands, threatening the stability of Kenya’s largest supermarket chain amid a decade-long legal saga.

The heirs of the late Kenyan retail titan and business magnate, Peter Mukuha Kago, founder of Naivas Limited, are once again locked in a legal tussle—this time over the judges selected to hear the long-running dispute concerning the distribution of their father’s estate.

The late businessman’s children, Grace Wambui, David Kimani Mukuha, and Newton Kagira Mukuha, have taken opposing positions before the Court of Appeal, deepening the succession saga that has hovered over the multibillion-shilling Naivas empire since Kago died in 2010.

Judicial fairness disputed as Naivas siblings clash over panel bias

David Kimani Mukuha, chairman of Naivas, and his sister, Grace Wambui, have petitioned the president of the Court of Appeal to change the panel set to hear their case. They specifically object to the inclusion of Justices Roselyn Nambuye and Patrick Kiage, citing concerns that their previous involvement in related family matters could compromise impartiality.

Kimani voiced concerns that the current panel might skew the case’s outcome, while Wambui stressed the importance of having a fresh, unbiased panel to ensure a fair hearing. This move underscores the ongoing tension within the Mukuha family, which has been locked in a bitter dispute over control of Naivas, one of Kenya’s largest supermarket chains.

On the other side, Newton Kagira Mukuha, who has long challenged his exclusion from the supermarket’s ownership and management, accuses his brother Kimani of trying to manipulate the judicial process. Kagira believes the push to alter the bench is simply a tactic to maintain control over the family’s valuable estate and suppress his legitimate claims. Over the years, Kagira has raised allegations of forgery, undue influence, and conflicting wills, all of which have contributed to the complex ownership battle that has dragged on for over a decade.

Naivas empire at a crossroads: Succession battle threatens stability

This family feud has cast a shadow over Naivas Limited, a key player in the Kenyan market since its establishment in 1990.

The legal wrangling comes at a crucial time for Naivas, as the supermarket giant is actively pursuing ambitious expansion plans in Kenya. As the court deliberates whether to reconstitute the judicial bench, the succession dispute continues to cast uncertainty over the future of Naivas. 

The fresh court wrangling threatens to further stall the distribution of Kago’s estate, estimated to be worth billions, at a time when Naivas Limited is consolidating its position as Kenya’s leading supermarket brand.