Only one wife out of four wives of former powerful minister Nicholas Kipyator Biwott benefited directly from his vast wealth, according to his will.
Biwott, who was more commonly known as ‘Total Man’, expressly stated in his six-page will that his property held by Johanna Catherina Kiprono Biwott would remain exclusively hers and that no one in his family should pursue it.
He also listed those he wanted to bequeath a share of his vast estate, including his children, but his three other wives —Professor Margaret Kamar, Callister Mathews and Elizabeth Kattar — were not among the beneficiaries.
Biwott did not say how much he and Johanna Catherina had amassed during their union, even as he outlined in his will how he married her.
“I am married to Johanna Catherina Kiprono Biwott by virtue of a civil marriage ceremony and any assets held in her name or held by any person upon trust for her are hers exclusively. “Neither I nor my estate shall have any interest in or claim to such assets,” he stated.
He left an equal one-fourteenth share of his estate to all his children. Sole heirs He named Esther Koimett (Elizabeth’s daughter), Rhoda Jacobson and Rita Field Marshal (Catherina’s daughters), Klara Biwott, Gloria Biwott and Immanuel Biwott (Callister’s children) and Maria Biwott, his daughter with Prof Kamar, as the sole heirs.
He also ordered that the trustees keep a one-fourteenth share of his estate in trust for his grandchildren, with the condition that it would only be released to them when they attained the age of 25. Biwott’s will extended his mysterious life to his death, because even though he was extolled for his business acumen for investing in banking, oil, construction and aviation, among other sectors, he did not mention any of these in his last wishes.
Biwott who died of kidney failure on July 11 last year aged 77, ceded all property he co-owned to his partners. He wished that any assets, both moveable and immovable, he co-owned with anyone should be left with the other partners, and in case of death, the estate or representatives of his business partners would get the entire share.
In 2013, Nigeria’s Venture Financial Magazine had listed him among the top 50 billionaires in Africa with a net worth of Sh100 billion.
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