Meet Chepkoech Too: The Kenyan Woman Who Won a $54 Million Inheritance Battle After DNA Confirmed Her Paternity
After nearly a decade of legal struggle, a Kenyan court has finally recognised Chepkoech Too as a biological daughter of the late influential politician and businessman Mark Kiptarbei arap Too, paving the way for her to claim a share of his vast estate valued at approximately KSh7 billion (about $54 million).
The landmark ruling by the High Court in Eldoret ends years of uncertainty over her paternity and confirms her legal status as one of the heirs to the estate of the former Kenya African National Union-era nominated Member of Parliament.
Court confirms paternity after DNA test
In the decisive judgment, Robert Wananda ruled that Chepkoech Too is indeed a biological daughter of the late politician after forensic DNA testing established that she shares the same father as Arafat Mohammed Bakari, a recognised son of Mark Too. The ruling formally grants Chepkoech the right to participate in the distribution of the multibillion-shilling estate.
The DNA analysis, conducted at the Kenya Medical Research Institute, confirmed that Chepkoech and Arafat are biological half-siblings born to different mothers.
A legal battle that lasted nearly a decade
Chepkoech’s legal fight began soon after the death of Mark Too on December 31, 2016, when disagreements emerged over the rightful beneficiaries of his estate.
During succession proceedings, Chepkoech maintained that she had been unfairly excluded from the list of beneficiaries despite being a daughter of the deceased.
However, one of the late politician’s widows, Sophie Too, strongly opposed the claim, arguing that Chepkoech was not known to the family and therefore should not be included in the inheritance process.
Determined to prove her claim, Chepkoech sought legal intervention, insisting that scientific testing was the only reliable way to establish the truth of her paternity.
The turning point: Court orders DNA testing
A major breakthrough came in September 2022, when the High Court ordered DNA testing involving the known children of the late politician.
In his ruling, Eric Ogola stated that a sibling DNA test was necessary to determine the truth before the succession case could proceed.
Justice Ogola noted that Chepkoech had produced a birth certificate naming the deceased as her father, which provided sufficient grounds for the court to order the DNA test.
The court subsequently directed several of Mark Too’s recognised children to present themselves at the Kenya Medical Research Institute for forensic analysis. The judge also ruled that exhuming the late politician’s body was impractical due to the time that had passed since his burial.
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Legacy of a powerful political figure
Mark Kiptarbei arap Too was widely regarded as a powerful figure during the administration of former Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi.
Although he was not primarily known as an elected politician, he held significant influence within the ruling KANU party and later served as a nominated Member of Parliament.
Too also played a notable role in Kenya’s political history when he stepped aside from his nominated parliamentary seat to create room for Uhuru Kenyatta to enter Parliament — a move that helped launch Kenyatta’s national political career.
A vast business empire
Beyond politics, Mark Too built a large business empire primarily centred on agriculture and real estate.
Court documents indicate that his estate includes 19 farms spread across several Kenyan counties, including Uasin Gishu County, Nakuru County, Nandi County, and Trans Nzoia County.
His assets also include tractors, trailers, vehicles, and shareholdings in multiple companies. In addition, he owned prime residential properties in Nairobi, Nakuru, and Eldoret, including homes in the affluent Lavington and Muthaiga areas.
His agricultural ventures included large-scale dairy farming, maize and wheat production, agribusiness operations, and property development.
Succession case still ongoing
Following his death in 2016, Mark Too was survived by two widows, Mary Too and Sophie Too, who were appointed joint administrators of the estate.
Court records show that he had several children within his marriages as well as others born outside them.
While the latest court ruling resolves the long-standing question of Chepkoech Too’s paternity, the broader process of distributing the multi-billion-shilling estate among all recognised beneficiaries is still ongoing in court.
For Chepkoech Too, however, the ruling represents the end of a long and emotional legal battle , finally granting her recognition as a daughter of one of Kenya’s most influential political figures and securing her rightful place in the inheritance of his multimillion-dollar estate.
