A contentious house-ownership dispute has engulfed former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and Mrs. Njeri Gathecha, who claim to be victims of ongoing abuse.
Speaking out during an interview with a local tabloid, Njeri Gathecha and her husband William Gathecha recounted the tumultuous journey they endured in pursuit of their dream home before their aspirations led them to Iguta Paradise Homes, a promising housing development in Runda, along Kiambu Road, where they learned of spacious 4-bedroom units on a quarter-acre plot.
“My name is Njeri. I’m married to William Gathecha. We have always had the ambitious goal of owning a house. Other than raising our large family, the house had to be in a serene area, as it’d be our retirement home. We have spent decades actively working towards this dream.”
“In 2021, we learned of Iguta Paradise Homes, a housing development in Runda, along Kiambu Road. It consists of 4-bedroom units sitting on a 1/4 acre of land.”
Njeri Gathecha and her husband assert that they were the first clients to move into the unfinished houses.
“We made the booking, paid relevant deposits, and later completed the payments. Njeri recalls that, driven by the excitement of achieving home ownership, we were the first clients to move in, even before the houses were complete.
However, their optimism soon turned into a nightmare as they found themselves entangled in a legal battle over the property’s ownership. “We have enjoyed cordial personal and business relations with former governor William Kabogo over the years, so it did not raise an alarm for the delay in the lease processing.”
Around this time, the Iguta Residents Association. “Our house overlooks a natural pond, which, as the development continued, revealed a stunning lake view that had not occurred to the owner before the construction began.”
“It is for this reason that former governor William Kabogo developed a malicious interest in repossessing our house.”
“The conflict reached a boiling point on October 31, 2023, when an unannounced fumigation exercise endangered their lives and those of their loved ones.”
“On October 31, 2023, the first of many incidences occurred of systemic abuse, harassment, intimidation, and outright violence to make us vacate.”
“We were shocked by the recklessness of the act,” Njeri adds, expressing concern over the safety of their children, staff, and pets.
“A fumigation exercise, without any notice, triggered the first incident, endangering my children, staff, and pets.
“I received calls reporting the spraying of dangerous chemicals all over the property.
“Subsequent events included power outages affecting the entire estate, with backup generators failing to provide power to the Gathecha residence despite numerous requests.
Consequently, they installed a generator. Amidst the chaos, her husband, William Gathecha, reached out to Kabogo, seeking clarification. To his astonishment, Kabogo and his bodyguards allegedly assaulted him, prompting the filing of a police report.
“My husband, Gathecha, reached out to Kabogo with an inquiry. The response was hostile. On this particular date, Kabogo and his bodyguards brutally assaulted my husband. My husband made a report at Kiambu Police Station, OB54/31/10/23.”
Subsequent events included power outages affecting the entire estate, but backup generators failed to provide power to the Gathecha residence despite numerous inquiries.
Fed up with the inconveniences the outages were causing, the Gathechas installed their own private generator in their compound, which further aggravated the situation.
The Kiambu Police Station reported oral threats on May 11, 2024. “Earlier this year, when the rains came, the entire estate experienced frequent power outages, and backup generators kicked in, excluding our house.
“My husband made numerous inquiries to get power, but in vain. It hit hard, as we are housing an elderly parent who needs power due to an oxygen machine. Frustrated, my husband installed a generator.
“This attracted further animosity from William Kabogo, who insisted that it affected the estate’s power connections.
“He increased harassment against my family and staff.” We endured searches, restrictions, and even threats, all orchestrated to force us out,“ Njeri recounts.
“Unnecessary searches at entrance points have prevented us from making deliveries to the house, among other issues.”
“On May 11, 2024, my husband had to make a second report at Kiambu Police Station (OB17/11/5/2024) for oral threats against my family and unlawful detention of my staff. The police did not take any action in either case.
William Gathecha has since resigned from his position in the Iguta Paradise Homes Resident’s Association, and the family is now seeking justice.
“The former governor is keen to repossess the house, and due to the danger it exposes my family, we have continually asked him to refund the cost of the house at the current market price. My husband, William, has also resigned his position in the Iguta Paradise Homes Resident’s Association.
“In case they get worse, I’d like to make the incidents known to the public—the harassment and the danger to my family. William Kabogo, the former governor, is exerting influence over local law enforcement, yet the Kiambu Police Station has received numerous reports without taking any action. I’m seeking justice.“