The late billionaire politician Njenga Karume was renown for his vast wealth which after death should have left his family virtually set up for life.
However, contrary to this expectation, on Saturday, September 14, one of his granddaughters, Michelle Karume, passed away a pauper, after begging the family for months assistance in seeking life-saving treatment.
A letter she had penned during her final days told a tale of a young woman desolately battling cancer while pleading with her family to lend a hand, The Standard reported.
In a chilling reference to her impending death, Michelle narrated how none of her family members was willing to pick her calls as she struggled to afford basic medication such as pain killers.
“The clock is ticking while every day I sit by my phone to hear some good news on funds, but three months later I am waiting here; still waiting for my phone to ring, but in return I get less communication to a point nobody can pick up my calls,” read an excerpt of the late Michelle's last letter.
Michelle was among the grandchildren that the late Karume had put in his Will as beneficiaries of his vast estate that was estimated at Ksh17.8 billion last year.
According to her shocking revelation, she had a chance to arrest her cancer right at its infancy stage back in 2016, but lack of funds saw her miss out on the crucial window period that would have probably saved her life.
In her closing remarks, Michelle stated that her grandfather’s vast wealth did not help her when she needed it most, adding that it only brought her “pain and more pain”.
Karume's family has been embroiled in fierce inheritance battle ever since the former assistant minister died on February 12, 2012.
Prior estimates had placed the tycoon's wealth by the time of his death at more than Ksh100 billion.
