Politician Jackson Kibor divorces wife of 52 years

Controversial Eldoret politician and prominent farmer Jackson Kibor has been allowed to divorce his second wife of 52 years.

The High Court in Eldoret on Friday issued a ruling dissolving Kibor’s marriage to Josephine Jepkoech.

While issuing the ruling, Eldoret Chief Magistrate, Charles Obulutsa, said the petitioner had proved that his marriage was beyond repair.

The 83-year-old Kibor had accused his wife, with whom they have seven children, of cruelty and desertion.

Kibor’s lawyer Mark Omolo told the court that Jepkoech would regularly travel abroad without Kibor’s consent and would stay there for even a year.

Kibor, who has two other wives, also accused his estranged wife of selling 56 acres of their land without his knowledge.

Speaking after the ruling, Kibor said he would give the wife 10 acres where she will live for the remaining part of her life.

The respondent has 30 days to appeal the court ruling.

The tycoon farmer went to court seeking divorce in 2014, citing cruelty, desertion and denial of conjugal rights, accusations Jepkoech denied.

In July 2017, while being cross-examined over the matter, Jepkoech told the court their marriage is blissful and vowed she will not divorce Kibor and that only death would separate them.

Documents presented in court showed the two tied the knot on February 27, 1965.