William Chepkut’s final years: From political prominence to a bitter estate battle

The death of former Ainabkoi MP William Kamuren Chirchir Chepkut has reopened questions about his final years, financial struggles and the multimillion-shilling estate now at the centre of a family succession dispute.

Chepkut, who died in Nairobi on October 8, 2022, had built a substantial property portfolio during his lifetime, including residential houses in Nairobi, agricultural land, commercial properties and hotels in Uasin Gishu. His estate is now estimated at more than Sh400 million, according to proceedings reported before the High Court in Eldoret.

Yet despite the value of the assets associated with his name, the court has heard that Chepkut experienced serious financial difficulties during the final years of his life.

According to testimony by his younger brother, Daniel Chirchir, some of the former MP’s properties had been used as security for loans, leaving him under considerable financial pressure.

In what marked a striking contrast to his earlier political life, Chepkut eventually moved into a servant’s quarter in Westlands, Nairobi, provided by an Asian friend identified in court as Sanjay.

The former legislator reportedly lived there with his driver and cook until his death.

His brother told the court that Chepkut needed assistance with daily responsibilities and had sought help from his friend after his personal circumstances deteriorated.

The former MP had once occupied a prominent position in Kenya’s political circles. Before entering Parliament, he worked as a personal assistant and private secretary to former powerful Kanu-era Cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott. He later won the Ainabkoi parliamentary seat in 2017 as an independent candidate.

However, his fortunes changed considerably after he failed to retain the seat in the 2022 General Election.

His final years were also marked by strained family relations and disagreements surrounding his marriage and property.

The succession case has brought three women forward as alleged widows of the former MP. Milcah Jepng’etich maintains that she was Chepkut’s only legally married wife, saying they were married in a church ceremony in Eldoret and had two sons.

The other two women, Dassie Ambassie and Betsy Birgen, have also claimed to have been his wives and are seeking recognition in the succession proceedings.

The competing claims have complicated the administration of Chepkut’s estate, with family members disagreeing over who should benefit from and manage the property he left behind.

The dispute has also touched on the former MP’s hotel business. Milcah disputed allegations that she had attempted to sell the Marriott Hotel, telling the court that the property had instead been listed for auction by a lender over an outstanding loan exceeding Sh30 million.

A previous High Court ruling also found that earlier proceedings seeking to appoint administrators to Chepkut’s estate had been affected by non-disclosure and ordered that the process be commenced afresh.

The case has therefore transformed the former MP’s legacy from one of political prominence into a complex legal battle over family rights, debts and property.

For a politician who once moved within powerful political circles, Chepkut’s final chapter was markedly different — ending in a modest Westlands residence while a multimillion-shilling estate remained behind him.

The succession proceedings are expected to continue as the court determines who qualifies as beneficiaries and how the estate should ultimately be administered.