Mary Waithira, a Kenyan who moved to the U.S. in 2015, had long dreamed of retiring back home. After working hard for several years, she planned to buy a house near Kenyatta Road in Kiambu and looked forward to settling down in peace.
In 2020, while watching an online video about a housing project in the area, Mary was drawn to the idea of owning one of the units.
She saw it as the right time to invest and, unable to be present in Kenya, entrusted her younger sister to oversee the purchase. She sent Ksh 4.5 million, hoping it would secure a three-bedroom home.
Sadly, her plans were ruined. Of the entire amount, only Ksh 1.4 million was paid to the property developer. The remaining Ksh 3.1 million was misused by her sister, leaving Mary in shock and disbelief.
She only came to know the truth after the housing company had already shut down, eliminating any chance of a refund or follow-up.
To make matters worse, Mary cannot return to Kenya due to complications with her residency status in the U.S. This has made it extremely difficult to seek help through legal means or recover the lost money.
What pains her most is the betrayal by someone she trusted completely. Her story is not unique—many Kenyans abroad have faced similar losses through relatives mismanaging funds sent for property or business.
Mary is now working to recover financially. She urges others in the diaspora to be cautious, verify all transactions thoroughly, and use professional services when making large investments back home.
Her experience is a reminder that trust alone is never enough when handling important financial matters.
