Catherine Wambui Mbugua still cannot believe that the marriage she built as a young woman with love and trust now lies in ruins and the properties she bought do not belong to her anymore. Speaking in a candid interview with TUKO.co.ke, Cathrine shared that they come from the same village as her ex-husband, studied in the same school, and went to the same church. “We got married in 1994, and our marriage was normal apart from the normal petty issues. I used to work at Barclays Bank (now Absa Bank) from 1990 to 1994. We had children in 1995 and the second in 1997,” she shared. “I used to do the investments because I had access to those loans in the bank. We used to look for land, and the bank came in when the seller gave transfer letters,” said Catherine, who is battling depression.
As Cathrine bought properties, her husband was not buying anything, but he asked to be included in the ownership documents, and she did so for their house. How did Cathriene’s marriage hit rocks? In 2001, Cathrine’s husband left for the US, and although she was supposed to accompany him, her plans hit a snag when she was denied a visa. “Since I had already quit my job, it affected me a little bit; I supported him getting a passport, visa, and everything, but he left, and I remained, so I fell into depression,” she said. “My parents asked my sister-in-law to come live with me, and at first you never know the intention of a person because we used to talk well, but that is when her troubles started,”she explained. According to Cathrine, her sister-in-law started badmouthing her to her husband, and he started sending money to her (sister) instead of his wife. “She used to say I was misusing her brother’s money even when I asked for things for the children,” she added.
“She hid my documents such as passports, that used to disappear; I later found them in a drawer when she left,” she said. With access to documents, Cathrine’s husband and his sister sold all shambas, and only plots remained, so he put one in his name and another in her name, but he never processed the titles. “He told me to return to school and but when I was about to start, the receipt disappeared but it turned out my sister-in-law hid them,” she said. How did Catherine lose her kids? “They started manipulating my kids, and they told them to go and live with their grandmother,” she added. “I would go to school and find they had already been picked up by their cousins, and they would stay there and hide whenever I went to visit them. He threatened that if they dont go he would stop feeding or educating them,” she said. Catherine said the last time she heard of her son, he had joined St Paul’s University Limuru, and they later left for the USA, and although my son is working, he never returned to university.
How did Catherine lose her properties? After an altercation over her son, Catherine said her sister-in-law said she would one day say she used to own a house. “My aunt told me to put a caution on my house, and later APs and CIDs took me to the police station; they came with my son, and we didn’t even greet each other,” she said. “I don’t blame my son, and I was later charged with fraud, and yet my husband is the one who went with another person posing as me. The case continued, and it is still there but in my husband’s name,” she explained. “We were harassed until we came to this side,” she added. Catherine also shared the attempts on her life; the brick on her house would be removed, and they would surround her house, and the glass on her door would be removed, and they would hit the dustbin.
“I was ambushed one evening after I was given fare to go visit the children and they tried to assault me but I claimed to be HIV positive but one of them told me about the plot and the people waiting to kill me and when we got to the appointed place for my death I sawa a thug with my sister-in-law. How did Catherine’s husband marry musician? He eventually got married to a famous gospel musician who he started dated in 2010 and was allegedly seen in the supermarket, who later married him in 2014. “He used to come with her home and introduce her as a friend, saying that I could lean on her in case of anything. He later came and said he wanted to remarry and had already filed for a divorce,” he signed. “I have never been served and did not sign the papers,” he added. The two lovebirds now live in New Jersey with Catherine’s kids. Subscribe to watch new videos How did Kenyans react to the story: @wachairman7657: “If I saw my mom crying like that I would walk from USA to the arm’s of my mum… may God heal this mum and give kids wisdom.” @mtotowaMungu-n7s: “Nobody should silence this lady – let her speak let her pour her heart out.”
@childreofhopeministry: “This is time to clean Catherine tears.” @marrieimmaculate: “Mother-to-another, woman to woman… I deeply feel her pain.” @missmannydxb: “10 years is a long time imagine the humiliation and depression she has had to endure? Bwana ameenda na watoto wamechukulia and you don’t have any communication with them. I stand with Catherine.This lady sounds genuine and in pain, just put yourself in her shoes.” @MbithebMasila: “Catherine looks depressed but she will live to testify the Lord’s goodness kama mamangu Yu Hai pia wewe utaishi.” @leen.4205: “So the husband started alienating and brainwashing the kids while they were teenagers. Then he later sold off properties and left his wife homeless.” @catherinekaranja5694: “Huyu mama ameanza kupona…Mungu tu auonekanie. Kuongea ni one part of healing.”
By Susan Mwenesi
