Mustafa Juma

Prominent Uasin Gishu farmer and politician Jackson Kibor has advised men to bolt out of unpromising marriages and relationships instead of waiting for “disaster to strike”.

Kibor arranged and presided over what Kenyans term as the first “real” men’s conference after the concept hit the Interwebs in February this year.

Attendees parted with Ksh2, 000 each for the event that was held at Noble Hotel in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on Monday, October 21.

At least 200 men, including wealthy businessmen from Uasin Gishu County, attended the 10-hour session that began at 8am and ended at 6pm.

Kibor said he got the idea mid this year after Kenyan men christened him the “chairperson” of their outfit in February.

The concept of the “men’s conference” was given birth to ahead of the 2019 Valentine’s Day. Most Kenyan men joked online that — in a bid to avoid spending money on their women on February 14 — they would lie to their partners that they were holed up in a two-day men’s conference that began on February 13 and ended on February 15.

And, the reason why they settled on Kibor as their “chairperson”, the men said: “He [Kibor] is in his 80s, yet he still has the energy to attend to his wives, the same way a twenty-something year-old would attend to his girlfriend.”

Kibor, 86, has been married three times, and divorced twice. He formally ditched his second wife in October 2017, and third wife in December 2018. The love drama that erupted around Kibor earned him the moniker “chairman”.

And, on Monday, October 21, the “chairman” addressed the outfit he leads – Kenyan men.

In his address at the event themed “Men and Seven Mountains of Social Influence”, Kibor urged men “not to be easily swayed by their women”.

The millionaire-farmer also cautioned men against being violent towards their spouses, saying: “A true man, never beats up a woman”.

“I always advocate for men to be strong. They should strive to fight for their rights, even when they are old,” said Kibor.

The controversy-laden former ward rep also advised men to embrace and maintain healthy lifestyles.

“Poor lifestyles lead to shorter life spans. Eat healthy foods, including traditional vegetables, and avoid alcohol if you want to live long,” said Kibor.

The 86-year-old also urged men to shun the temptation of waiting for their wealthy parents to pass on their properties to them.

“Build your own empire from scratch,” he said, revealing why he refused to transfer a 1, 250-acre parcel of land to his sons Elkana Kipleting, Evans Kipkosgei, Eric Kipchumba, Raymond Kibitok and Edwin Kipkoech.

“I decided to rescind a decision of transferring the land to them after one of the five became an alcoholic,” said Kibor.

According to the octogenarian, the son who succumbed to alcohol addiction became lazy, and couldn’t raise “the normal” Ksh4 million from a maize farm that he [son] used to till.

The men’s conference in Eldoret was attended by, among others, ex-Elgeyo-Marakwet County Assembly speaker Albert Kochei, who moderated the session, and Bishop Jackson Kosgey.

The event was organised to assist men who are battling identity crisis.

The former speaker said they settled on Kibor to chair the meeting because he has “unparalleled success” in agri-business.

Kibor warned men against adopting quick-money tactics, saying: “Remember, money gotten through corrupt deals will come back to haunt and embarrass you in the future.”

The “chairman” has in the recent past hogged media headlines for divorcing two of his three wives in quick succession, citing “cruelty, desertion and being denied conjugal rights” as key reasons for the separations.

On Monday, however, Kibor sensationally said he wasn’t the one who ditched his women, but it is his now ex-wives who went to court and successfully applied to dump him “after staying with me for more than 40 years”.

And, from that experience, Kibor advised men not hold on to “abusive and unpromising relationships”.

“When the marriage hits rock bottom, and there are more sorrowful days than blissful ones, then don’t hesitate leaving that union. Walk out before it becomes a disaster,” he said.

Kibor served as a ward rep in Wareng for at least 20 years.