BY WINSTONE MUSISI
Shock and grief engulfed Uasin Gishu County after news broke out of the passing away of a prominent farmer cum politician Jackson Kibor who has been ailing for a long time.
According to his first born daughter, Loice Kibor, his father died 89 year passed away on Wednesday at St Luke’s Orthopedic and Trauma Hospital in Eldoret after succumbing to the illness.
Loice told Mwanahabari.co.ke that his father had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit before doctors confirmed his death on Wednesday night.
He is survived by four wives – one died – and 26 children, including 16 boys.
She said that his father had earlier contracted COVID-19 which left him fully dependent on using an oxygen cylinder.
“My father had been using medical oxygen since October 2020 after he contracted Covid. In fact he had an oxygen cylinder at his home and another in his Prado vehicle for use whenever he wanted to visit Eldoret town for treatment or business.” said Loice.
She said the family will meet later to issue a statement on funeral preparations of the veteran politician which is slated to be conducted next week at his Ziwa home in Soy sub county.
The late Kibor hit local and international headlines after he was granted divorce by Eldoret court from his second wife of 51 years after he accused her of deserting their home and mistreating him.
Eldoret Chief Magistrate Charles Obukutsa who has now been transferred to Nyahuru, allowed Mr Kibor to part ways with Josephine Jepkoech Kibor, 68, with whom they had seven children together.
The two met and married in 1965 but in 2014.
Kibor moved to the court asking for the dissolution saying he could no longer live with her.
He would later move to the same court and was allowed to part ways with his third wife, Naomi Jeptoo Kibor, after the court found their marriage to have irretrievably broken down.
Immediately after the ruling, Kibor declared he would now “add weight” after the mother of his six sons was “removed from” his life.
“I’m happy the court has removed this woman from my life. I will now add weight.
Kibor had filed a divorce case claiming that Naomi, 62, was cruel, hostile and had denied him his conjugal rights.
He also accused Naomi, together with their six children, of deserting their matrimonial home.
Kibor told court he was living in fear of his wife and children, one of whom, he said, had threatened him with a machete in a dispute over land.
The land dispute had seen Kibor draw his gun and threatened to shoot the son who, he alleged, attacked him.
Kibor said he faced threats and was always subjected to mental anguish. He accused his wife of erecting a gate at their home to deny him access.
Naomi denied the claims at the court. She said it was Kibor who chose to stay away from their matrimonial home.