Veteran Uasin Gishu politician Jackson Kibor has now welcomed a court ruling made by Eldoret Magistrate, Naomi Wairimu that allowed him to part ways with his third wife, Naomi Jeptoo whom they have been married for over 40 years.
Speaking moments after the ruling today, Kibor said the decision has come as a sigh of relief to him as the wife was giving him a hard time.
“I am very happy for today’s court ruling because I was going through a lot. This woman has beaten me together with his children. She has cut me with a panga and also pinched me,” said Kibor.
“She has really frustrated me and teamed up with her children to even beat me at times. I was very slim but now I will gain weight because the court has done me justice by okaying my request to divorce,” Kibor added.
The 85-year old said that he will agree with what the court will decide over the needs of the divorced wives. Kibor has so far divorced two wives, Josephine Jepkoech who he divorced two months before filing the application to dissolve his marriage with Jeptoo.
36-year old is now the fourth and only wife of Mzee Kibor after his first wife Mary died and he divorced these other two.
“I will not marry another wife because am contented with my fourth wife Eunita,” said Kibor.
Kibor had claimed in court papers that his wife had been hostile and intolerant to the extent that their marriage could not be salvaged.
He also told the court that the defendant and her sons have threatened to kill him and even put a gate and denied him the key at their home in Kebenes village in Soy constituency of Uasin Gishu County in a bid to bar him from accessing his home.
While objecting to the divorce, Jeptoo said that contrary to her husband’s claim she said he was welcomed to their home at any time. She told the court that she does not recall when her husband last went to their home where she lives with their children adding that she was not aware of any dispute between him and her sons.
Eldoret Principal Magistrate Naomi Wairimu said that the divorce application was valid having been consented to by the two parties. She further said that cruelty was a major issue in the divorce case filed by Kibor.
“By keeping them together in the circumstances, is to play with legal form in a manner that is completely contrary to the needs of real life and such false unity could only serve to further oppress the plaintiff which is not rewarding relationship,” ruled Wairimu.