Nyawira Wa Kariuki: Doubting Betty Bayo’s mother shows how you view your own
By Steve Ireri, December 7, 2025Aspiring Nyeri woman representative Nyawira Wa Kariuki has publicly defended Betty Bayo’s mother, Joyce Wairimu Mbugua, following her explosive claims regarding her late daughter’s property and the custody of her children.
In a post shared on her Facebook page on Sunday, December 7, 2025, Nyawira argued that doubting the statements of a grieving mother reflects poorly on how one perceives their own, noting that it is unreasonable to assume that she would lie about sensitive family matters.
“Anyone doubting Betty Bayo’s mother is simply projecting their doubts about their mothers. If in your right mind you believe a grieving mother like her at her age can be lying, then it shows how you think of your mother – that she is capable of lying,” she wrote.
Nyawira stressed that Betty Bayo’s mother is acting in the best interest of her grandchildren, particularly concerning their mother’s property and rightful inheritance.
She clarified the nature of Betty’s relationship with her widower, explaining that prior to Betty’s death, the couple was in a form of cohabitation that constituted an early stage of customary Kikuyu marriage practices.
She explained that since the final customary marriage ceremony, known as Gûtinia Kiende, had never been performed, the grandmother remains the rightful figure to safeguard the children and protect their inheritance.
“And yes, I said boyfriend because kuhanda ithigi is just an early stage of ruracio, where the man, together with his people, visits the gal’s home to notify the family of their son’s intentions to marry from the gal’s family. Gûtinia kiende is the final Kikuyu customary marriage practice where the gal is officially married off to the man after the man has successfully adhered to the requirements of the gal’s family. So there was cohabitation between two adults who had the intention to marry in the future,” Nyawira wrote.
Nyawira emphasised that Betty’s mother’s actions are not motivated by personal vendettas but by a desire to protect her grandchildren and ensure that their mother’s estate is properly managed.
She urged the public to appreciate that the mother’s interventions are guided by love, responsibility, and the legal rights she holds as the only recognised next of kin.
“Why would you not believe a mother fighting for her dead child, and you want us to believe your mother is the best? I would never imagine my mother would go publicly to lie about sensitive issues like this. Why would I think someone else’s elderly mother can do that? In any case, why wouldn’t a grandmother fight for her grandkids’ rightful inheritance (their mother’s properties) if, in her right mind, she doesn’t trust her daughter’s boyfriend with it?” she added.