• Thumbi claims that the child is very well known to the family of Okoth, especially his mother who has spent time and gotten to know her grandson since he was born.
• Says Okoth cared for the child and called for the court to order his school fees paid from Okoth's estate.
Former Kibra MP Ken Okoth's secret lover Anne Thumbi last night announced she was ready to take a DNA test to prove her five-year-old son was sired by the late MP.
Thumbi told the Star that although she was not yet ready to publicly disclose information about her relationship with Okoth, she had no doubt that Okoth was the boy's father.
"I am still mourning. I am not in a position to speak on anything concerning this issue. As you know, the matter is before a court of law now. But I am ready for a DNA test if people, including some of Okoth's relatives, are in doubt," the nominated Nairobi MCA said.
She spoke moments after senior principal magistrate G.A. Mmasi issued orders against both Okoth’s mother and wife Monica Lavender Okoth, barring them from burial, interment, cremation or in any manner disposing of the body of the MP.
The court has also barred the Lee Funeral Home or any other funeral home in possession of the MP's body from releasing it to anyone.
I am still mourning. I am not in a position to speak on anything concerning this issue. As you know, the matter is before a court of law now. But I am ready for a DNA test if people, including some of Okoth's relatives, are in doubtAnne Thumbi
Thumbi wants the court to order the family to include her and the son in all funeral and burial arrangements, rituals and traditions up to and until Okoth’s final send-off.
The court has directed Thumbi to serve the application on the family and the parties to appear in court on August 9 for hearing.
The MP died at the Nairobi Hospital on Friday last week after a long battle with colorectal cancer.
In her application, Thumbi says that she met Okoth in 2013 when she was working for the Sonko Rescue Team and two years later they had a son.
She attached a photo showing the late legislator's mother Angelina with her grandson, during one of their meetings.
Also attached is a photo of Okoth carrying his young son on his shoulders smiling broadly.
She also attached a birth certificate of her son that shows that he bears the surname of Okoth.
Thumbi also attached a message that she wrote to Okoth, calling him "Ken Love".
In one of the messages to Okoth, she asks how he is doing and says, "Thanks for the Bike, this holiday, Imesaidida sana.”
In response, Okoth sends two laughing emojis after she sends him a photo of the son riding the bike that he bought for the child.
“After the birth of the child, the deceased acknowledged and stepped up to his parental responsibilities without failure and would regulatory care for the minor and my needs by extension during his lifetime,” Thumbi said.
Okoth was a good father and never failed to discharge his parental responsibilities and prior to his death, he had been maintaining catering for the boy's clothing, entertainment and school fees, among other costs, Thumbi said.
The child's mother said she had been in regular conversation with Okoth throughout his illness and towards the end of his life. He insisted that he wanted his only living heir recognised, cared for and raised in his name and with his legacy, "which he told me and his entire immediate family, " she said.
Thumbi said the child is very well known to the family of Okoth, especially his mother who has met, spent time with and gotten to know her grandson since he was born.
Through her lawyer Elkana Mogaka, she says the child has been excluded from all the burial rights of his father.
“Okoth’s mother and wife have deliberately and unfortunately opted to exclude Muthoni [Thumbi] from the funeral and burial arrangements of Okoth who is only learning of the arrangements from the print and mainstream media,” Mogaka said.
He also said the family has unilaterally decided to have the body cremated, among other reasons, to primarily destroy any DNA evidence of the minor's father.
The child is scheduled to report back to school on the September 1 yet no communication has been made to her regarding the payment of the minor’s school fees.
The mother is also asking the court to order the family through Okoth’s estate to pay in a lump sum for the child’s school fees.
She has accused Okoth’s wife of discriminating against her son, saying she has shown a pattern of racial discrimination towards the only child of the departed MP who is the only living heir of the deceased. The wife Monica is European.
“The reasons for the minor’s discrimination are still undisclosed by the family save for the absurd assertion that they deny the paternity of the minor,” she says.
The nominated MCA says that the child is psychologically disturbed and a subject of the ridicule among his peers.
“The conduct by the family is not in the best interest of the child as he is at risk of suffering untold psychological and emotional torture as a result of the being discriminated against and prevented from the participant in his late father’s burial arrangements,” reads the application.
She says that the minor is presently suffering serious confusions that may sooner or later warrant the services of the psychiatrist.