Controversial farmer and politician from Uasin Gishu County Jackson Kibor has finally addressed a men only congress, months after he became the face of another hoax conference that went viral on social media.
As the men’s conference was made a reality in Eldoret town on Monday, Mr Kibor urging men to be firm, non-violent but not to be easily swayed by their women.
Addressing the conference held at Noble Hotel in Eldoret, Mr Kibor, 85, said he has always advocated for men being strong and able to defend their rights even when they are old.
Former Elgeyo-Marakwet County Assembly Speaker Albert Kochei was the moderator during the event dubbed “1st Eldoret City Men Congress”.
Mr Kochei said it was aimed at empowering men who are “grappling with an identity crisis”.
Each participant paid Sh2,000 to attend the event.
Mr Kibor, who was among the key speakers at the meeting themed “Men and Seven Mountains of Social Influence”, regretted that many young people are dying from lifestyle diseases and alcoholism.
“The secret to long life is eating healthy and strong adherence to traditional food. If you go to my farm now you cannot believe it belongs to an old man like me,” said Mr Kibor.
He said many young people are no longer hardworking but depend on their parents’ wealth instead of looking for their own.
“Unataka kula ya nani kama hutaki kutafuta yako? (Whose wealth do you want to enjoy if you can’t look for yours?)” posed Mzee Kibor, who recently sued his sons for demanding a portion of his land.
He said he changed his mind from giving his sons part of his land as inheritance after one of them who was generating Sh4 million a year from maize farming succumbed to alcohol-related complications.
In December last year, an Eldoret court allowed Mr Kibor to divorce his wife of 43 years.
While delivering her decision, Eldoret Principal Magistrate Naomy Wairimu said the couple’s marriage “is irretrievable”.
The octogenarian was granted his wishes after he accused his wife, Naomi Jeptoo, of deserting their matrimonial home together with their six children.
The man claimed that his wife, who left their matrimonial home voluntarily, became hostile and generally treated him with “utmost cruelty, contempt and neglect”, which caused him “untold psychological suffering”.
While speaking in Eldoret on Monday, Mr Kibor advised young people whose marriages are almost hitting the rocks to call it a day instead of waiting for disaster to strike.
“Many people stay in abusive marriages for long only for them to resort to killing each other when the situation gets out of hand,” said Mr Kibor who defended his move to marry a fourth wife who is the age of his daughter.
The politician, who served as a councillor in Wareng’ County Council for more than 20 years, advised the youth to acquire wealth through honest means.
“Don’t grab from anybody. You will enjoy what you generated through honest means in happiness. I can account for all the millions I have at my age,” Mr Kibor told the attentive conference.
“I call on the youth not to give up. Just continue working hard. Don’t surrender working hard and God will open the way,” he advised the youth.
Speaking at the meeting, Bishop Jackson Kosgey said men are slowly abandoning their benign role in society because of bad mentorship and habits.
“Many men are losing their traditional place in the society at the family level,” said the retired cleric.
Mr Kochei said the event was aimed at empowering men whom he claimed have been ignored by the society for long.
He said Mr Kibor was chosen as one of the speakers due to his success in business and agriculture.
“We also wanted to get Mzee’s advice on family life and how he has managed to address many challenges in his family. The youth also wanted to learn how Kibor has managed to drive himself at his age,” said Mr Kochei, adding that more of such forums will be held regularly.
Sources told the Nation that some women were uncomfortable with their men attending the conference, fearing that Mr Kibor would be a bad influence to them.
Mr Kibor, who was taken to task on why he always breaks the law on the streets of Eldoret by declining to pay parking fees said, “I’m a senior citizen of this country having served as chairman of Wareng County Council for many years and I deserve some respect.”
He caused drama after he was caught on camera hacking a clamp on his vehicle in Eldoret town.
His Toyota Prado V8, worth millions of shillings, was clamped for his failure to pay a paltry Sh100 parking fee.
In February this year on Valentine’s Day, social media was awash with claims of a men’s conference which was to be held at an unknown destination.
It was said that Mr Kibor would be a key speaker at the event that never was.
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