High-profile divorces that dominated headlines

What you need to know:

  • Recent times have seen some shocking and unexpected divorces which created headlines for days.

Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, and his wife Marianne Kitany, who are embroiled in an acrimonious divorce, are the latest of a long line of rich and powerful couples whose marriages came to a public end.

Here is a round-up of five such high-profile divorces that came out of nowhere.

  • Jackson Kibor

Last year, an Eldoret court has granted another divorce to the 86-year-old controversial farmer-cum-politician Kibor.

The court approved Mr Kibor’s divorce from Naomi Jeptoo, his third wife, after he successfully divorced his second wife in October last year.

Eldoret Principal Magistrate Naomy Wairimu said the couple’s 43-year-old marriage “is irretrievable”.

The octogenarian was granted his wishes after he accused Jeptoo of deserting their matrimonial home together with their six children.

  • Willy Mutunga

Former Chief Justice Mutunga filed for a divorce from his ex wife, Prof Beverle Michele Lax in 2009 after nine years of marriage accusing her of cruelty. Prof Lax however accused him of denying her conjugal rights and  demanded payment of Sh150,000 a month in maintenance.

  • Phillip Moi

The son of the former president Daniel arap Moi in 2012 was ordered to pay his ex-wife Rossana Pluda in excess of Sh250,000 a month for maintenance as well as Sh7 million lump sum following their separation. Mr Moi however had wanted the court to declare him bankrupt and therefore not in a position to meet Ms Pluda’s demands.

Ms Pluda however presented to the court that her ex could not possibly have been broke as he had bought a luxurious sh750,000 television and had installed a hot tub worth Sh300,000 at his Muthaiga home.

  • Hassan Wario

In 2016, Kaltum Dima Guyo, former wife of then Sports, Culture and Arts CS Hassan Wario moved to court claiming that her ex had not honoured his end of the bargain following their divorce in the UK on May 5, 2012.

“I want the court to issue an order directed against the respondent (Mr Wario) to make monthly maintenance payments to the petitioner (Ms Dima) to the sum of Sh400,000 per month or such other sum this court may deem fit to grant,” said the court papers filed by her lawyer John Khaminwa.

Of the total sum asked for, Ms Dima wanted the court to compel the former CS to pay her monthly rent of Sh150,000, buy food for Sh50,000 and also meet her medical expenses valued at Sh50,000.

He was also to pay Sh50,000 for her entertainment, Sh25,000 for utility bills in addition to Sh40,000 for transport. She also claimed Sh35,000 for her personal grooming.

  • Mike Njeru

Mr Njeru, the owner of Transcend Media Group  was in a divorce battle in 2014 with his wife Anne Evelyn Wambui after a 21 year marriage and three children.

Ms Wambui accused him of battering her and locking her out of their matrimonial home in Lavington. She cited assault and infidelity as some of the reasons for the divorce.

She wanted her ex husband to pay her Sh 1.3 million as upkeep every month and a further Sh 3.3 million as school fees for their children. She also wanted Sh10 million as insurance cover plus a court order restricting Mr Njeru from accessing their home.