👑 The Kihika Dynasty at War: How Death Turned Power, Land, and Blood Against Each Other

The Kihika dynasty, marked by its immense wealth and complex family dynamics, has been embroiled in a fierce inheritance battle following the death of its patriarch, Dixon Kihika Kimani.

With eight wives and 41 children, the absence of a will has led to a dramatic court case that has exposed deep-seated rivalries and alliances within the family.

This article delves into the life of Dixon Kihika, the political legacy he left behind, and the ongoing struggle for control over the family empire.

The Kihika dynasty is a tale of eight wives, 41 children, and one empire, a family so powerful that it went to war with itself.

If you think inheritance disputes are small family meetings, you’ve never met the Kihikas.

This is the story of one of Kenya’s most feared political figures, the women he married, the children he left behind, and how death exposed the cracks inside a dynasty.

Who was Dixon Kihika Kimani before the court battles, before the protests, before the politics? He was a fiery politician who served as the Member of Parliament for three different constituencies: Nakuru North, Laikipia West, and Mo.

Dixon was not just known for his leadership; he was infamous for his brutal language, fearless insults, public outbursts, and an ego as vast as his landholdings.

By the time he died in 2004 at the age of 74, he had amassed eight wives, 41 children, dozens of farms, property in Nakuru and Laikipia, and notably, he left behind no will.

That one decision would light the fuse for a family conflict that would echo through the courts for years to come.

When Dixon Kihika died at Kenyatta National Hospital from complications related to diabetes, only three of his wives were present to transfer his body to Lee Funeral Home: Margaret Wamboi, Alice Mukohi, and Charity Nyamura.

The other wives were silent and absent, perhaps watching from the sidelines as the drama unfolded.

Among these three women stood one who would later change everything: Alice Mukohi, the mother of Susan Wakarura Kihika, the current governor of Nakuru.

In polygamous families, such lineage can be significant, and with no will in place, the estate of Dixon Kihika went to court.

The court battles were nothing short of a monster, with eight widows, dozens of children, and massive land parcels at stake.

The estate was estimated by media sources to be worth hundreds of millions—around 600 million, to be precise.

But money wasn’t the only issue at play; control was.

About nine to ten years ago, the drama exploded into public view when a group of widows, feeling sidelined and starved of resources, reportedly stormed one of the Kihika family farms.

This emotional scene was covered by news outlets, capturing the bitter accusations that flew as it became evident that division was tearing the family apart.

The widows and their daughters were intent on claiming their share of a farm in Enashura, Nakuru County, which they alleged had been barred from them by Kihika’s other widow and her daughter, Susan.

Family members accused Susan of high-handedness, leading to the belief that you simply cannot mix family and politics.

However, just as quickly as the tensions flared, the narrative shifted.

A few months after the farm incident, the same widows appeared in the media, announcing that the family had reconciled, the disagreements resolved, and they were now united in supporting one political figure: Susan Kihika.

The protests died down, the headlines softened, and the focus shifted to politics.

In March 2025, the High Court of Nakuru finally delivered its judgment on the Kihika estate, a case that had dragged on for nearly two decades.

The court submissions revealed a proposed division of the estate that was explosive.

The first wife and her children were to receive 27.15% of everything, the second wife (from whom Susan hails) was to get 15.2%, and the third wife was allocated 7.5%.

The remaining five wives would have to share the leftovers, meaning the first three wives would walk away with over half the empire.

However, the judge did not accept that formula without scrutiny.

Instead, the court rejected blanket percentages, removed properties without proof, froze disputed titles, ordered valuations of estates, and divided land property by property, rather than by wife.

The court ordered that Mudgera farms, encompassing nine acres, would be shared equally among all eight households, with each house getting 12 acres.

The Enashura block was allocated directly to Susan Wakarura Kihika, while House 6 property was sold to finance the valuation.

Incomplete properties behind House 7 were divided among the first three wives and their 23 children, with the court ordering a valuation within 90 days and the final distribution to follow.

This case is not just about inheritance; it embodies power, politics, land warfare, and the survival of a dynasty.

Susan Kihika, as the daughter of the second wife, stands at the center of one of the most significant inheritance wars in Nakuru’s history.

She is not merely a political figure; she is a symbol of the complexities that come with such a powerful legacy.

As the Kihika family saga continues to unfold, it raises critical questions about loyalty, legacy, and the impact of polygamy on family dynamics.

The public is left to wonder how such a powerful family could find itself embroiled in such bitter disputes and whether reconciliation is truly possible in the face of such deep-seated rivalries.