Former Attorney General of Kenya, Charles Njonjo, passed away at 101 and was cremated the same day, per his instructions. He is remembered for his distinct sense of fashion, poise, and significant role in Kenya’s history. In 1972, Njonjo married Margaret Bryson in a grand wedding attended by President Jomo Kenyatta and other prominent figures. He was 52 at the time. The couple had three children: Wairimu Elizabeth Njonjo, Mary Wambui, and Josiah David.
Wairimu Elizabeth Njonjo, the eldest child of the “Duke of Kabeteshire,” had a typical childhood despite her father’s prominence. In a 2010 interview with Drum Magazine, Wairimu, also known as Nimu, shared that her upbringing was ordinary, with a focus on school, routine, homework, discipline, and good manners. Her parents taught her the value of money, which made her grateful for what she had.
Wairimu attended the prestigious Hillcrest Secondary School, where she excelled in Latin. Despite initial doubts from her teacher, she achieved high grades and later pursued law. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Bristol in the UK and her Master’s at King’s College.
Wairimu practiced law in London, finding fulfillment in helping others. She was set to be admitted to the local bar as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. However, she later transitioned to conservation work, founding the East African Whale Shark Trust, a marine conservation project, with her husband.
In 2009, Wairimu married Swede Volker Bassen in an intimate ceremony attended by around 30 people, including ODM leader Raila Odinga. The wedding took place at All Saints Cathedral, where her parents had married in 1972. In her Drum interview, Wairimu expressed gratitude for meeting Volker, who had saved her in a diving accident. She praised him as the most amazing person she knew. Volker gained attention in 2019 when he claimed he could locate a car that had plunged into the Indian Ocean at the Likoni ferry crossway within 15 minutes. He later retracted his statement, acknowledging he had underestimated the conditions and deferred to the Kenya Navy for the rescue operations.
By WhoOwnsKenya