Uasin Gishu farmer Jackson Kibor has filed divorce proceedings against his third wife, five months after he divorced his second one.
Mr Kibor, 83, wants to divorce Naomi Jeptoo Kibor, whom he married 43 years ago.
On October 6 last year, Kibor convinced an Eldoret court to dissolve his marriage with his second wife, Josephine Jepkoech, with whom he had been for 52 years.
The Standard learned that the octogenarian filed a new divorce case against Jeptoo at the Chief Magistrate’s court on February 28.
Kibor claims Jeptoo left their matrimonial home, thus denying him conjugal rights, and that she has not been supportive, is extremely hostile and intolerant, causing him serious psychological suffering.
Not supportive
He claims that Jeptoo has on numerous occasions plotted to kill him and consistently beaten him, causing him bodily harm.
“The marriage has broken down because of consistent oppression. It is irretrievable because my parents’ efforts to reconcile and reunite us have failed,” stated Kibor.
He says he married Jeptoo in 1975 according to Nandi customary laws.
Kibor states they were blessed with six children - Edwin Kipkoech, Erick Kipchumba, Ezekiel Kiprotich, Elkanah Kipleting, Evans Kipkosgei, and Raymond Kibitok, who are now adults.
He complains that Jeptoo has not been supportive of him in terms of family development and that she has sold a significant amount of family property without his authority in spite of her being gainfully employed.
He further alleges that his third wife has treated him and his children from his marriage with contempt, citing lack of emotional support.
“The defendant has failed to give the plaintiff emotional support and offer consortium and society as would be reasonably expected in any marriage. She has failed to show concern, empathy to the plaintiff’s emotional needs of love and companionship, thereby denying him marital rights…”
Kibor accuses Jeptoo of being openly cruel and disrespectful to him to the extent of quarrelling with him him in public, which he says has portrayed him as a weak person who does not deserve respect.
He adds that Jeptoo has fabricated lies and malicious allegations against him in order to justify her ‘wayward behaviour’.
“The defendant has on many occasions denied the plaintiff his conjugal rights and emotional companionship. She has during the subsistence of the marriage, been guilty of desertion and wilful neglect of the plaintiff,” the application states.
Kibor says he separated from Jeptoo when their children were very young and that several efforts by his parents to reunite them had failed.
Irretrievably damaged
“In the foregoing circumstances the marriage is irreparably and irretrievably damaged due to the defendant’s behaviour and is beyond salvage,” states Kibor.
He asks the court to declare his marriage to Jeptoo dissolved.
In the application drawn up by Mukabane and Kagunza Advocates for the plaintiff, Kibor is the sole witness, the same way he was in the application against Jepkoech.
Last year, Chief Magistrate Charles Obulutsa dissolved Kibor’s union with Jepkoech citing cruelty and desertion, a decision that the latter appealed against.
Should the court grant Kibor’s latest wish, he will remain with his youngest wife, Eunita Kibor, who is in her late thirties and whom he married in 2002.
Kibor’s first wife, Mary, died in 2010.
