Joseph Kanyotu was Mzee Jomo Kenyattas and retired President Mois trusted spy chief. He kept many secrets as he stealthily built a multi-billion shilling financial and property empire.As he was buried in August 2006, after a remarkable eulogy by President Kibaki, Kenyans marvelled at how much he knew all of which, it seemed, he had taken to his grave.
But not any more. Not after the unfolding court drama between his two wives and their children in a scramble for what he owned. The list of companies he owned or held a substantial stake in reads like a roll call at the Nairobi Stock Exchange.
The land parcels and buildings listed by his second wife, Mrs Jane Gathoni Muraya-Kanyotu, as property in dispute between her and her co-wife, Mary Wanjiku Kanyotu, depicts the life Kenyas own robber baron.
Jane on Monday obtained orders restraining her co-wife and her sons from selling or interfering with Kanyotus estate pending hearing and determination of her case.
Justice George Dulu also issued orders restraining Kanyotus first wife and children from interfering with the deceaseds shareholding in 22 companies. He ordered the second wife to serve all the parties in the suit and the matter heard with all parties in attendance on October 8 this year.
Through her advocate, Ms Judy Thongori, Jane argued that her co-wife and the children have deceitfully and irregularly manipulated the shareholding of various companies in which Kanyotu had interests.
Court orders
She alleged they are doing this with a view to tilting the eventual entitlement to the estate of the deceased in their favour, despite of court orders to the contrary.
The inventory Jane submitted reads like a journey in the fabulous lives of Kenyas first generation of post-Independent politicians and bureaucrats only that he managed to veil his caches of diamond and gold with secrecy and in the process hoodwinked Kenyans as to his worth. He, in fact, strove to fit into their lives, to be like them, dignified and unknown to the world.
But the cloak of secrecy and privacy around him was yanked away when Goldenberg International Limiteds bubble burst unmasking his underworld role in the mega-million fake gold and diamond export compensation scheme in cahoots with Kamlesh Pattni.
Kanyotus goldmine include three companies with names that appear to suggest his optimism in the venture he went into Half Moon Investments Company Limited, Full Moon and Silver Cloud Investments Company Limited.
He also poured his wealth into such blue chips as Barclays Bank, Sameer Group, Kenindia Assurance, Kentmere (1986) Limited, Middle East Bank Kenya Limited, Kenya Tea Development Agency, Kenya Melamine Manufacturers, Collindale Security Limited and Collidale Limited.
He is also listed as the shareholder of the multi-million companies such as Kangaita Coffee Estate, Acacia Court, Acacia Renovators, Kawakanja, Shylocks Limited and Metropolitan Health Limited. There is also a company deriving its name from the first names of two of his children Chris and Sandra Chrisandra. The list also includes expansive land parcels in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kirinyaga, South Nyanza, Kiambu, Gilgil, and Nyandarua complete with their registration details. In Kirinyaga he is listed to own 37 land parcels.
The list does not even cover the multiple bank accounts and the fleets of cars that he was associated with, and which made him the object of envy and wonder when he served President Moi and Kenyatta.
Bubble burst
But it shows how he invested in almost every business sector, creating the world of silence he lived in until the Goldenberg bubble burst and brought him to the public limelight.
This is the man who President Kibaki eulogised as “one who knew so much about what he knew and did what he thought ought to be done”. Though Kanyotu did not serve in his administration, Kibaki was in Cabinet during much of the spy chiefs 27-year career.
Moi, who Kanyotu served for 13 years, said he was a man of immense knowledge and great power, “but who was guarded not to show it”. Mr Charles Njonjo, who was Kenyattas and Mois Attorney General, lamented the secrets he had gone down with. He also described Kanyotu as, “a man who would never hurt a fly”, prompting a churchman to quip: “Why would Kanyotu hurt flies when he was killing elephants!”
This week, his first wife lifted a lid on just one aspect of his life what he owned. Last Friday, Jane filed a property suit against her co-wife. It is bound to rivet attention of Kenyans as the inventory of what the late spy chief comes out in the public.
In between the three regimes he made billions and scared millions of people with his towering physique, his love for mystery, his trademark inscrutable face and the legendary distance he kept between himself and news crews with their tools of work. He knew so much, through intelligence wiretaps, shadowing and tracking, as well as the ability to secretly plough through their lives and not even their web of bank accounts and chain of mistresses were a secret to him just were who could have killed Tom Mboya and Josiah M Kariuki. But now the radar is on him and his money. Those sued are his first wife Mary, Christopher Ngata, Andrew Ngirici, Ken Njau, John Kariuki and Sandra Gathoni.
On Monday, the court was told those sued have purported to call Annual General Meetings of companies in which Kanyotu was a majority shareholder without any involvement of the estate. “They have unduly obtained a capacity to interfere with the management of and the status of the said companies,” Janes lawyer argued.
She wants any further sale or change of directorship in all the companies listed blocked. Jane argued she had the blessings of Kanyotus brother, John Ngata Kariuki who is a Member of Parliament, to swear her affidavit on his behalf. She said they were the proposed administrators of Kanyotus estate.
The Standard
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