Kitany’s no-show at burial, another w***n listed as wife: Here’s her say

Marianne Kitany, the alleged wife of Meru Senator, Mithika Linturi, claims she pulled a no-show at the burial ceremony of Mithika’s father, Peter Linturi, on Tuesday because she “feared for her safety”.

Speaking to K24 Digital on phone Wednesday, Kitany said she had received intelligence information that goons had been hired in Igembe South, Meru County to attack her should she set foot at the event.

Her no-show at Peter Linturi’s burial came just a day after her lawyer, Danstan Omari, told journalists at the Milimani Law Courts on Monday that he and Kitany would travel to Meru for Peter’s interment.

“The burial of my client’s father in law is tomorrow [Tuesday, September 17] and I do confirm that my client will attend the funeral. We have done all arrangements to attend and give the Late Linturi the respect he deserves as a father-in-law,” Omari said on Monday.

Omari added that he would accompany Kitany to Meru, alongside her relatives from Nandi and Kericho.

“It is the honour and respect of a deceased father-in-law. She has a moral, cultural, legal and philosophical basis to attend the funeral,” said Omari.

-‘Kitany not Mithika’s wife’-

At the burial ceremony in Igembe South, Mithika Linturi’s first wife, Mercy Kaimenyi, was listed as a daughter-in-law of the Meru Senator’s Late father.

Peter’s eulogy snubbed former DP William Ruto’s chief of staff, Marianne Kitany, who is in court claiming she is legally married to Senator Linturi.

Kitany says she tied the knot with Mithika in a traditional ceremony in April, 2016.

Mithika Linturi, on the other hand, denies that he exchanged wedding vows with Kitany.

According to the senator, the mother-of-three only sneaked her way into his life and home as a “visitor”.

In a letter dated January 10, 2019, filed at the High Court Family Division in Nairobi, Linturi said he never divorced his first wife, Mercy Kaimenyi, whom he married in April 2005 at Tigania Catholic Parish in Meru.

Appearing in court early September, Kitany, however, denied being aware of the existence of an active marriage between Mercy and Mithika.

And, following the Tuesday listing of Mercy as Mithika’s wife, what is Kitany’s response? “I don’t know the kind of a relationship Mithika has with his first wife because she was never in the picture when I came in,” Kitany told K24 Digital.

“About not being recognised as Mithika’s wife, I cannot comment much on that because it is what he and I are contesting over in court,” added Kitany.

The mother-of-three, however, says she was able to relay her condolence message to Mithika’s mother.

“I was able to condole with my mother-in-law. Let us stay strong and take courage in this time of grief. Mzee was a great man,” said Kitany, adding: “I still consider myself part of the family as we wait to see how things unfold.”