The High Court has dismissed a succession claim by a United States–based Kenyan woman who sought recognition as the widow of former Cabinet minister and influential civil servant Simeon Nyachae, handing a significant legal victory to Nyachae’s family.
In his ruling, Justice Eric Ogola found that Margaret Chweya failed to prove that she was lawfully married to the late Simeon Nyachae. The court also declined to recognize her two sons as dependants of the deceased, noting that their biological fathers are still alive.
“Pictures on their own cannot prove marriage,” Justice Ogola ruled.
The judge explained that Kenyan law requires clear and legally recognized proof to establish a marriage. Such proof may include evidence of customary rites, a civil or religious ceremony, or consistent cohabitation supported by public repute.
The dispute arose during succession proceedings in which Chweya moved to court seeking spousal and dependency rights over Nyachae’s estate. She claimed that she was married to the former Cabinet minister and relied on photographs allegedly showing her with Nyachae during his lifetime to support her case.
However, the court rejected her claim, holding that photographs alone cannot establish the existence of a valid marriage under Kenyan law.
Justice Ogola ruled that without concrete evidence meeting the legal threshold, the court could not recognize her as Nyachae’s widow or her children as beneficiaries of his estate.
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