Kipchoge Keino halts sub-division of his land
Former Olympic athletics record holder Kipchoge Keino, 83, can now breathe a sigh of relief after an Eldoret court issued orders stopping the Uasin Gishu land surveyor and land registrar from sub-dividing part of his Sh360 million land that is being claimed by an Eldoret family.
This was after the legendary track athlete obtained temporary orders under certificate of urgency at the Eldoret High Court halting sub-division of the property in dispute.
The law court had directed surveyors and land registrar to embark on survey and sub-divide the 195-acre land after the family of Noah Cheruiyot Kemboi and Selly Cherop Kemboi had been awarded a huge parcel of the contested property by the court.
The disputed property in Kazi Mingi houses the Olympic Committee-certified Kipchoge Keino High-Performance Training Centre, a camp used by runners to prepare for local and international races.
Appeal pending
Through his lawyer, Raphael Wambua Kigamwa, Keino told the court that he was aggrieved by the orders of the court issued on November 16, 2022 and July 12, 2023 insisting that the appeal against the ruling by a lower court was still pending in the Lands and Environment court.
In his application to quash the orders, Keino told the court that the move by the court to issue a decree to the plaintiff together with, County land Surveyor and County land registrar of Uasin Gishu to visit the land in dispute with an aim of subdividing it to the plaintiff and the defendant will render his application void as he intends to challenge the ruling in favour of the former at a superior court.
“My client is apprehensive that while the application for leave is pending, the plaintiff together with the county land surveyor of Uasin Gishu land registrar visited the parcel of land known as Cheptiret/Cheplaskei block 4(Saruiyot)/45 to effect the decree of sub-division. I pray that this court will consider my application as urgent and stop the entire process of subdividing the land in dispute until my appeal is heard and determined,” argued Kigamwa in court.
The lawyer further said that the order made on July 12, 2023 failed to address his right to be heard which is fundamental in his application.
He added that the hearing of his appeal was delayed due to his health condition that has made the court adjourn the matter.
Following the application, the court directed Keino to serve the plaintiff urgently.
The court also directed the parties to appear before Eldoret Chief Magistrate Dennis Mikoyan tomorrow (Wednesday) for further directions.
There was tension and anxiety last Wednesday when a group of rowdy youth stormed the former Olympics’ farm claiming part of the property.
Led by the family members, the goons started to fence a section of the land as the former runner helplessly watched the unfolding drama from a distance.
