In a world where inheritance is often considered a birthright, selling it to your children would be frowned upon by many. However, one Kenyan politician did the unthinkable by asking his children to buy their inheritance using their own money.
Meet Davidson Ngibuini, a minister during Moi’s era and former Mathira Constituency MP who overturned what society upholds.
Davidson is reported to have fathered more than 40 children. However, when it came to giving them his inheritance, Davidson surprised them by requesting them to pay for their share of his wealth.
While serving under Kenyatta and subsequently Moi’s era, Davidson became an aggressive businessman who distinguished himself by owning diverse assets across Central Kenya, such as land.
Beyond his vast wealth and remarkable business acumen, what truly separated him from other parents is his bold decision to pass his wealth to his children through untraditional means.
Why he sold inheritance to his own children
According to Davidson, his seemingly unusual decision was not random. It was a premeditated tactic intended to foster proper work ethics among all his children. Most accounts of his life suggest that the relatively high number of children might have informed his peculiar stance.
According to a close source who spoke to a local news outlet, the former Cabinet Minister did so to prevent his 45 children from being lazy and to encourage them to work hard in life.
Despite widespread criticism that trailed his contradicting position as a parent, he went on to actualize it.
Today, his Nyeri neighbourhood continues to respect what he stood for, especially because most of his descendants are successful businessmen.
Although Davidson is no more, his unconventional method still fuels conversations about wealth ownership and financial accountability, something that most Kenyan families often neglect when allocating inheritance.
His bold overturn of established social tenets in Africa continues to provoke alternatives as regards wealth distribution and accountability.
