When Professor George Nthengi Kinuthia Saitoti — mathematician, reformist, statesman, and Kenya’s longest-serving Vice President — perished in a mysterious helicopter crash on June 10, 2012, the country mourned a man who had risen from the quiet hills of Ngong to the highest echelons of power.
But beyond the veil of public grief lay another tragedy — a betrayal of his widow, Margaret Saitoti, and their only son, Zachary Musengi. While the nation remembered his service, vultures circled around his vast wealth. Within days, billions of shillings that Saitoti had quietly amassed over decades vanished into a labyrinth of offshore accounts, leaving behind a family blindsided and betrayed.
A Humble Beginning, A Monumental Rise
Born in 1945 to Zachary and Zipporah Mubanji in Ngong, Professor Saitoti’s life was a story of grit. Educated at Mangu High School and later in the U.S. and UK, he returned to Kenya not only as a brilliant mathematician but also as a teacher of dreams. He broke barriers in academia before politics came calling — serving as Finance Minister, Vice President, and later Internal Security Minister.
Those who knew him described him as a private man, meticulous with his affairs, but fiercely protective of his family. His wife Margaret was his confidante, preferring life in the shadows of politics, tending to their son and family businesses.
The Widow’s Ordeal
After the funeral dust settled in Kajiado, whispers began circulating. Saitoti’s family, it turned out, had little clarity on the depth of his fortune. Insiders reveal that while Saitoti had built a financial empire — real estate holdings, foreign investments, bank deposits, and securities — his widow was left with only fragments.
According to sources familiar with the transactions, a well-connected cabal of political, business, and legal elites swiftly moved to siphon off the wealth.
The Alleged Inner Circle
Among the names consistently mentioned are:
Fred Ngatia, Saitoti’s long-serving lawyer and trustee, alleged to have had unfettered access to the family’s financial blueprints.
Jimi Wanjigi, controversial businessman with deep political links, accused of facilitating international transfers.
Francis Kimemia, then Interior Permanent Secretary, who insiders say provided cover for discreet state-sanctioned maneuvers.
Michael Gichangi, former NIS Director, whose intelligence network allegedly ensured the scheme remained hidden from public scrutiny.
These men, acting in concert, are said to have orchestrated a sophisticated operation. Days after the helicopter crash, billions were wired from accounts in Nairobi to secret destinations abroad — the Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, and Dubai, according to one whistleblower. From there, the money was broken down and redistributed among several shell companies.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Officially, Margaret received KSh 84 million — money she believed to be her rightful inheritance. But financial trails show this was a mere token compared to what her husband had left behind. By conservative estimates, over KSh 12 billion evaporated.
A source close to the Saitoti estate matter commented:
“The scale of the plunder is staggering. This wasn’t just theft, it was a betrayal of trust by the very people the late minister considered allies.”
The Silencing of Margaret
Margaret, true to her private nature, has never spoken publicly about the ordeal. Friends describe her as “devastated but resilient,” forced to hold the family together while watching strangers dine on her late husband’s sweat.
Insiders claim attempts to seek redress were quietly frustrated. Legal petitions stalled. Banks refused to disclose transaction records, citing “confidentiality.” State agencies stonewalled investigations, feeding suspicions of a deliberate cover-up.
A Nation’s Rot on Display
The Saitoti heist is more than a family’s tragedy — it is a mirror of Kenya’s entrenched corruption. It reveals how state power, business interests, and legal guardianship can conspire against the very citizens they are meant to protect.
A man who once stood at the heart of government, entrusted with national security, could not protect his own estate from the greed of those closest to him.
Unanswered Questions
Who authorized the transfers abroad in the immediate aftermath of Saitoti’s death?
Why have none of the named individuals ever been formally investigated?
How could billions vanish under the watch of institutions mandated to safeguard Kenyans’ wealth?
The Legacy Betrayed
Professor Saitoti once famously declared, “There come those defining moments that call for all of us to be strong, resolute and to take a stand.”
Today, that call rings hollow as his widow, Margaret, and their son Musengi, live with the bitter knowledge that his life’s work was dismantled not by strangers, but by his own trusted circle.
The death of George Saitoti remains clouded in mystery. But the theft of his fortune — hidden behind closed doors and smiling handshakes — is a scandal that exposes the darkest underbelly of Kenya’s ruling elite.
Leave a Reply