The late athlete Kelvin Kiptum’s dad, Mzee Samson Cheruiyot, has claimed that he and his wife did not chase away their son’s widow, Asenath Rotich, from her home. Kelvin Kiptum’s dad speaks days to son death anniversary. Photo: Asenath Rotich, Kelvin Kiptum. Source: Instagram After Kiptum’s death on February 11, 2024, the government in speed moved to build a house for his widow and her kids. Kiptum’s small abode in Naiberi, Uasin Gishu county, was completed before his burial day. The house was built within seven days, as per President William Ruto’s instructions in line with the deceased marathoner’s wish to build his family a home.
Ruto also disclosed that the government had an elaborate plan to support Kiptum’s widow, children, and parents beyond the house the state had built at his Naiberi home. The head of state said that Kiptum had put Kenya on the world map, and the state had the moral obligation to take care of his family. He also promised to get the widow a job that would enable her to provide for her young family. Did Kiptum’s dad chase away his widow? In November 2024, Mzee Cheruiyot lamented the challenges he and his wife were facing in a touching video. Kenyans noticed that the two filmed the video in Kiptum’s Naiberi home and most wondered where Asenath was. Claims that the family had chased her away surfaced, amid her scarcity online. During an exclusive with TUKO.co.ke, Kiptum’s dad admitted that there were cracks in their family.
He alleged that Asenath moved to Nairobi, but no one chased her from her family home. Mzee Cheruiyot claimed that Asenath first moved to Kipkorgot on the Eldoret-Kaptagat-Ravine Road before settling in Nairobi. He claimed that Asenath left her matrimonial home immediately after the athlete was laid to rest. “The wife of my child will be cursed her whole life… If God is really present, let her live. When he died, she did not even finish a month here, she left. Let her leave and eat our son’s money alone. We will cry to God only. We are not even recognised as his parents. She left immediately my son was laid to rest. Asenath left with the kids. She went to Kipkorgot and then moved to Nairobi, who was chasing her away in Kipkorgot, if that is the case,” Cheruiyot alleged. TUKO.co.ke tried to reach out to Kiptum’s widow but did not get a response by the time of publication.
by Patricia Tonui Martin Moses
