Former envoy locked in fight over father-in-law’s multi-million-shillings estate

Former Kenyan envoy to Zambia and India--Kipyego Cheluget is caught in a fight for his father-in-law’s Sh3 billion estate.

The properties in question are over 100 acres of land in Eldoret and private schools, among other properties worth millions of shillings that were owned by his father-in-law- Edward Limo; a former renowned Eldoret pastor.

Limo was a former African Inland Church (AIC) pastor who was a famous philanthropist in Eldoret town and a close associate of former President, the late Daniel Arap Moi.

Mr Cheluget is married to Limo’s daughter Ruth Jeruto, and they own a section of the more than 1,000 acres of the land in dispute.

Mr Cheluget served as Kenya’s envoy to Zambia and Malawi and as a Permanent Representative to Comesa. He also served as the Deputy High Commissioner of Kenya to New Delhi, India.  

Together with his wife, they are also directors of Eldoret Concord Girls High School, which is also part of the disputed assets on the vast land located within Eldoret town.

The land in dispute also hosts AIC institutions that include Kao la Amani church and Kao la Amani Bible College. Other investments in the Limo farm are a private hospital, and two high-end private learning institutions, namely Concord Boys and Concord Girls High School. 

Mzee Limo died on December 13, 2017. He founded several institutions in the region, including Chebisaas High School, and is also remembered for hosting girls running away from FGM in Kerio Valley.

Mzee Limo had 10 children--three boys and seven girls, six of whom have since passed on. 

His children and extended family have been embroiled in a battle over control and sharing of the estate he left behind. 

After family members failed to settle the matter outside court through mediation, they moved to court more than five years ago to seek legal redress. The matter is currently before Eldoret Judge Reuben Nyakundi. 

A month ago, Justice Nyakundi was forced to visit the estate in dispute to familiarise himself with the situation on the ground. 

During the court visit, Justice Nyakundi held a meeting with the family members at the grave site of the late Limo imploring them to approach the matter with sobriety and never allow the dispute to destroy the legacy of pastor Limo. 

During the hearing of the case on Thursday, the family members, including Dr Cheluget were at the High Court with about ten lawyers representing various interested parties. 

Through affidavits, some of the family members, including Ruth and Benjamin; who are daughter-in-law and son of the late pastor respectively, accuse Ambassador Cheluget of illegally acquiring the title of the land where Concord Girls school is located. 

Lawyer Karen Chesoo representing Ruth and Benjamin told the judge that the title for the school land was transferred two years after Mzee Limo’s death and they want it revoked and the asset reverted to the estate, pending succession.

There has been a major row on the running of the two schools founded by Mzee Limo, and Justice Nyakundi ordered that four administrators of the estate be included in the respective Boards of Management of the schools to ensure smooth operations. 

During the visit, Dr Cheluget told the Judge that he was also a co-owner of Concord Girls through shareholding.

“Your lordship, I have about 20 percent share in this secondary school which has since changed from Concord Girls High School to Edward Limo Educational Centre,” said the ex-envoy. 

He told the Judge how he changed the property title deed to his name and that of his wife. 

Ms Ruth through her lawyer Chesoo argues that the acquisition of separate title deeds for the school will injure the desires of her late father-in-law. 

She argues that the four surviving children of the late Limo who are shareholders to the school contributed money for the construction of the school with each having 20 percent of the shares. 

She argued that her father-in-law had started the process to transfer the school to be operated as a company 

The court is expected to give direction on the matter in the next one month.

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