Sacked CS Aisha Jumwa in Court Over Non-payment of KES 250 Million House

Former Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa is engaged in a court tussle with Bejav Furniture Limited over a KES 250 million house she purchased last year.

The company has taken legal action to compel Jumwa to pay KES 60 million, part of the agreed purchase price.

Bejav Furniture initially sought to have Jumwa declared bankrupt, but the case was referred for mediation.

Jumwa, who was sworn in as a Cabinet Secretary on October 27, 2022, approached Roselyn Wambui four months later to buy her house, originally valued at KES 250 million.

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Sources say that after negotiations, the price was reduced to KES 215 million.

“Indeed, I instructed my advocate, Kinyanjui Kirimi and Company Advocates, to draw up a sale agreement and send it to the defendant’s advocate, the firm of Mohamoud, Gitau & Jillo LLP Advocates, which was done on February 25, 2023,” stated Wambui in her case on July 26, 2024.

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According to Wambui, Jumwa’s lawyers acknowledged receiving the sale agreement and informed her that Jumwa was being financed.

However, it emerged that Jumwa could only qualify for KES 145 million from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).

Wambui alleged that certain decorations and furnishings in the house, which she was supposed to remove, were part of the addendum agreement with Jumwa.

Consequently, Jumwa was to pay KES 70 million instead of the initial KES 60 million deficit.Jumwa reportedly paid KES 10 million and committed to paying the remaining KES

L ln60 million within 12 months.

Wambui transferred the house to Jumwa, and it was registered as collateral for the loan with KCB. Despite writing to the former Malindi Constituency Member of Parliament about the outstanding balance on May 25, 2023, she received no reply.

Wambui has instructed her lawyers to initiate a debt recovery case. They sought to have Jumwa declared bankrupt, but the case is pending mediation or settlement.

Wambui demands that Jumwa be compelled to pay the amount with 18.5 percent interest until fully settled. On the other hand, Jumwa wants the case struck out and for Wambui to bear the case costs.

Jumwa’s lawyers argue that the court does not have jurisdiction to entertain the case. They claim that the agreement stipulated any disputes between the seller and the buyer would be settled through arbitration and point out that the dispute has been placed before a mediator