Father of 13 Languishing in Poverty Despite Owning a 225M Estate

Stephen Ole Kapen, 67, despite owning a prime estate valued at Ksh 225 million, he and his family live in grinding poverty.

According to his family and friends, Ole Kapen received an estimated Kes 6 million in 2014 for a 33-year lease on his 75 acres of land.

The father of 13 from Trans Mara leased his land to a sugar mogul who had arrived in the area, while several other residents chose to sell. As a result of squandering the money they earned, many of them are now impoverished.

This move left his family surviving hand to mouth after he squandered all the money on beautiful women and expensive drinks and lifestyle. 

Kapen disclosed that he had leased the property for 33-year period to a businessman from Ruiru, Kiambu County. After spending the funds, he is now living in poverty six years into the agreement.

Kapen and his family were asked to leave the property when he received the final payment of the lease and only come back when the leasehold expired. A move that led Emily Nashipai, his wife, to fend for the family on her own.

“When he received the money, he became mad. He left us and returned when he was broke. He only informed me that he had leased the land when the investor came knocking, asking us to leave to pave way for a sugarcane plantation. I couldn’t believe it. I cried but nobody, even our village elder could help us,” Nashipai remembered.

Nashipai said that owing to the extended family, and nothing to sustain them, some of her schooling children had to drop out.

This is just one of the many cases people are experiencing.