NAIROBI, Kenya – Clint Kiprono Moi, son of the late Jonathan Kipkemboi Moi, is seeking a court order to compel DNA testing for 19 individuals claiming to be beneficiaries of his father’s estate.
In an application before the High Court, Kiprono argues that sibling DNA tests are necessary to verify biological relationships and ensure that only rightful heirs benefit from the estate.
He also wants the court to bar the claimants from making any further claims on behalf of the estate until the matter is settled.
This legal push comes after a mediation process identified 19 beneficiaries across four households—a report that was subsequently adopted by the High Court.
But Kiprono is now challenging the mediation’s validity, saying decisions were reached through voting instead of consensus, and that he was absent from the talks.
He insists that some of the listed beneficiaries are not biologically related to Jonathan Moi, and thus should not inherit.
When the matter came up on Thursday before Justice Eric Ogola, Kiprono’s application for DNA testing faced pushback from lawyers representing other parties, including Jonathan Moi’s third wife.
Lawyer Duncan Okatch, representing the third household, highlighted the urgency of unlocking estate funds, noting that a minor with Stage 2 cancer is in need of urgent medical attention.
“Because of this stalemate, we are unable to move forward. Adopted or not adopted, they are all children of the deceased. It is in the public domain that a minor is unwell,” Okatch submitted.
The court also heard that distribution of Jonathan Moi’s portion of the estate—20% of the late President Daniel arap Moi’s total estate—is already underway.
“Moi was very clear in his will. He directed that his estate go to his bloodline. A DNA test is necessary to settle this issue,” the court was told.
Justice Ogola is expected to rule on Kiprono Moi’s application for DNA testing on June 26, 2025.
