By Mercy Buyanzi -Trans Nzoia County
A famous family at the Chepkoiyo farm, in Sitatunga ward of Cherang’any Constituency in Trans Nzoia County is in pain because their father’s insatiable appetite for alcohol left them landless after selling and drinking 9.6 acres worth of alcohol.
In an exclusive interview with Horizon news at her paternal uncle’s home, Priscilla Jepkoech, one of the five daughters of William Koskei Kiplele Kasimoto (90) said their father’s decision made them homeless.
William Koskei Kiplele Kasimoto (90) a resident of Chepkoiyo village in Trans Nzoia County who is accused by her daughters of selling family land to buy alcohol. Photo/Mercy Buyanzi
“Some of my sisters are now on the streets while others are struggling to survive living in rental houses because we have no place to call a home and yet we had 9.6 acres of land. It is indeed very disheartening that we are suffering like orphans simply because our father valued his appetite for alcohol more than our wellbeing,” Jepkoech told Horizon News in the presence of his ailing father.
Jepkoech further said that chang’aa and busaa sellers probably exaggerated the amount their father had taken in their drinking dens with intentions of robbing him of his land.
“We have heard stories that if his bill was Ksh. 1,000 the sellers multiplied the bill by 100. So instead of him paying 1,000 he ends up losing land worth 100,000 shillings,” she stated.
Overwhelmed by emotions, Everline Cheptoo the last born daughter of the nonagenarian called for inquiry on how the people who occupy their land settled there.
“We did not deserve to live this way. We want to ask the ministry of lands to do an urgent inquiry on how these people settled in our land because as far as we are concerned, we have not seen any land sale agreement between our father and the people in our land,” Cheptoo said recalling how he was rescued by his uncle and took care of her.
What pains them the most is the fact that their father’s mistreatment and harassment led to the death of their mother in 1994. Due to lack of space to bury her, her father decided to bury her in his land in Kericho County.
When we asked him how the people in his land settled, Mzee Kasimoto was quick to respond that he does not recognize them and claimed that the settlers there are land fraudsters.
Priscilla Jepkoech, daughter of Mzee William Koskei Kiplele Kasimoto speaking to the press at her paternal uncle’s home in Chepkoiyo. Photos/Mercy Buyanzi
“Our late mzee had 48 acres of land and he divided it amongst the five of us. I personally got my 9.6 acres share and the people who are now living there are fraudsters and if they really have land ownership rights, then let them produce any agreement,” he boldly stated.
After the death of their mother, Christopher Koskei took care of them and revealed that a land caution was placed on the said land but his elder brother breached the caution.
“When we realized that our brother was determined to sell his share, we placed a caution to stop any transaction on the remaining part of land but he went further to dispose of it unprocedurally. In fact we are asking ourselves how can someone buy a piece of land that has caution on it?” Koskei asked.
The family is now considering instituting a legal action against their father and all his clients so that they are all evicted and their land given back to them.
