A legal dispute involving the family of former Vice-President George Saitoti has emerged after a man claiming to be his son asked the court to allow the exhumation of his remains for DNA testing.
Saitoti’s widow, Margaret Wanjiku, is opposing the request by James Njage, who wants the tests conducted to establish whether he is biologically related to the late politician.
According to reports by the Daily Nation, Wanjiku has challenged the application, arguing that exhuming her late husband’s remains would cause emotional distress to the family.
She has also questioned whether the process would produce useful DNA samples, raising concerns about the justification for disturbing the former Vice-President’s grave.
The widow further argues that Njage has not presented documentary evidence to support his claim that he is Saitoti’s son. She is therefore challenging the basis of his request for the court to order the exhumation.
The dispute now places the court at the centre of a sensitive family matter involving questions of paternity, evidence and the handling of the remains of a prominent Kenyan leader.
For Njage, the proposed DNA test would offer a way to establish whether he has a biological connection to Saitoti. However, Wanjiku maintains that the request should not proceed without sufficient justification.
The case highlights the difficult questions that can arise when someone seeks to establish family ties after a person’s death. DNA testing can help resolve paternity disputes, but obtaining samples from deceased individuals may require legal approval and careful consideration of the circumstances.
George Saitoti served as Kenya’s Vice-President and held several senior government positions during his political career. His death in a helicopter crash in June 2012 shocked the country and marked the end of a long career in public service.
As the legal dispute continues, attention will be on the arguments presented by both sides and the court’s decision on whether the requested exhumation should be allowed.