Oscar Sudi in land feud with kin of colonial paramount chief

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi is embroiled in a land dispute involving the children of colonial paramount chief Kibor Talai.

The children of the late chief’s first wife, Tapyatin Talai, have accused the MP of trying to grab a 30-acre piece of land located near Moi University Main Campus.

The land is said to have been given to Ms Eunice Kigen, wife of Mr Talai’s son, Francis, who died in 2001. The land is part of the 1600-acre land that belongs to the chief who died in 2012.

Trouble started on Saturday when Mr Sudi arrived at the farm accompanied by a group of youth, who removed signposts erected on the farm indicating that it was not for sale.

“On Friday last week, we spotted some people surveying the land. When my brother and I asked them what they were doing there, they said they were sent by Mheshimiwa Sudi. However, we told them that the Talai land was not for sale,” said Ms Nancy Jepkurui, the chief’s daughter.

“The following day, Sudi came with more than 20 people and tried to pull down these signposts,” she added.

She said they demanded that the MP shows them ownership documents if indeed he had bought the land.

“Let him show us any documents and the person/s who consented to the sale of the property because as a family, we are not aware of any transaction,” she told Nation.

She vowed that they will not allow the MP to take the land through fraudulent means. The MP did not respond to the Nation’s inquiries.

His lawyer Richard Cheruiyot, however, said the MP had entered an agreement with Ms Eunice to lease the land and in turn settle debts of Mr Francis’ family as well as pay school fees for his children, who are in the university.

He said they also agreed that when the succession case is concluded, Ms Eunice would sell the land for the amount the MP would have spent on them.

The lawyer added that when the MP started paying the fees, he requested to be shown where to till. But when this happened, Mr Francis’ siblings accused him of trying to use unscrupulous means to grab the land.

Yesterday, Ms Eunice confirmed entering an agreement with the MP. She said the MP would lease the 30 acre-piece for 10 years and that she would sell to him a portion to recover the money he spends on her family.

But Ms Nancy wondered how her sister-in-law had agreed to lease the land and enter into a sale agreement despite a succession case pending and a caveat placed on the land by the court.

The succession case before Eldoret High Court judge Stephen Kibunjia involves the two widows of the chief.