Jonathan Moi's mother, Lena Moi was buried in 2004 at Kabarak, a place where she had never visited throughout her troubled life, that ended up in a divorce with retired President Daniel Moi.
Lena, who had seven children with Moi, divorced in 1974 over infidelity and retreated to Kabimoi, where she led a quiet life like most of her children.
At the home, it's claimed, Lena kept a room for Moi, hoping that one day he would return home, a wish that never was. Moi sent a doctor to look after her few days to her death.
While the state maintained that she lived a modest life, sources said she lived a normal life of a rural woman. When she died, the burial committee said she would be buried in Sacho, a place where they first settled with Moi.
But her eldest brother William Bomett, reportedly opposed the plans, terming the place as 'bushy'. He threatened to bury her at Kabimoi before Moi decided to have her resting in Kabarak, where she had never visited.
“Mzee Bomett said Lena would not be buried in the bush and that is how she was buried in Kabarak — a place she had never stepped in her life,” said a source.
Before her burial, Jonathan Moi, who died last week, clashed with Gideon Moi, the Baringo senator, accusing him of imposing himself as family spokesman.
“Simply because our father transferred most of his properties to you doesn’t entitle you to become our spokesman,” a source quotes Jonathan saying.
But until Jonathan's death last week, Gideon has often assumed the role, at times welcoming visitors to Kabarak. Like his mother, Jonathan stayed in Kabimoi, several kilometers from Kabarak.