CAPTION: Michelle and Derek Wamalwa. [Photo courtesy]
When their father died in August 2003, Michelle Nafuna Wamalwa was only three years old.
She was a bubbly young girl who was extremely loved by her father; so much that he would often carry her to his press conferences and many remember her unconsciously playing with the microphone.
15 years down the line, Michelle who was once full of life and ambition is now struggling with depression. Her smile is no longer as contagious as it used to be and her dreams to follow in her father’s footsteps are slowly fading away.
14 years after her father’s death, the family had to deal with yet another tragedy — the loss of their mother, which was perhaps, the breaking point for Michelle and her brother Derek.
Her mother’s long term illness milked even the very last coin from the family.
In an interview with a local Kenyan daily, 18 year old Michelle says she can now hardly afford her anti-depressants, despite being a Wamalwa. She further goes on to say that even accessing basic needs at their Karen home starting to become a huge problem.
She also told the local daily that in March 2018, her Uncle Eugene, the Devolution Cabinet Secretary, had promised her a government scholarship to Australia but it never bore fruits. She has still been waiting ever since.
Michelle also touched on her family’s property dispute with her step siblings that has brought them to their knees financially.
Michelle says that looking for help as a member of the Wamalwa family is extremely difficult because everyone considers them well off. She is told to ask for help from her relatives who she says are responsible for their current misery.
When the local daily tried contacting Eugene, he hang up and sent a text message saying “Call me tomorrow. I’m with her at her late mother’s first memorial service at Karen.”
Their family’s Karen home is now a shadow of it’s former self, with a striking difference from other homes in the neighbourhood.
Speaking of promises, Deputy President William Ruto had promised that the government would take care of Wamalwa’s children education. He had also promised Yvonne Wamalwa’s sister Nangami a job. All these were forgotten immediately her casket was sent down the grave.
Michelle says that she has been in and out of GEMS Cambridge School for almost a year due to the lack of school fees.
Her brother Derek says that the entire extended family deserted them.
The property battles became so bad that Derek had to jet in from Australia to try and help his family. He says that since his father died, the extended family no longer treat them with respect.
The transition from their high end life full of vacationing, unlimited shopping sprees and protection from bodyguards to what they currently have has taken a huge toll on them.
Derek feels disappointed because despite his father having helped out his relatives during his time in power, they have shown nothing but disrespect in return. Including death threats from their family members in Kitale, where Derek says he can’t set foot.
According to Derek, his father’s selflessness and generousity was the reason why he never amassed huge wealth but immediately he died, things changed.
Her mother was under immense pressure and was always involved in countless meetings, some stretching into the night.
Michelle and Derek claim that Yvonne, who passed on at her sister’s residence in Nanyuki, lacked funds to seek specialized treatment.
The two also said that their mother never got a chance to enjoy her husband’s retirement benefits which included health insurance which would have potentially saved her life.
Their aunt Jacqueleen Nangami Nyangweso has been their breadwinner since things went south. She has now used up all her savings and despite her will to help, it is becoming more and more difficult each day.
Since his death, Wamalwa’s pension has never been processed due to an injunction issued following a lawsuit by his eldest daughter Alice Muthoni Wamalwa.
