Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director General Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria has filed an appeal against a High Court ruling that barred him from accessing and developing a contested piece of family land in Uasin Gishu County.
In a ruling delivered on August 11, 2025, Eldoret High Court Judge Reuben Nyakundi issued restraining orders preventing Kiptoo from interfering with the estate of his late father, Barnabas Tuitoek Bargoria. The orders specifically barred him from developing, disposing of, transferring, subdividing, or in any way dealing with the property identified as Kiplombe/Kuinet Block 2.
The land, measuring approximately 12.26 hectares, has become the center of a bitter succession battle pitting Kiptoo against his half-sister, Loise Jerop Bargoria. Justice Nyakundi’s injunction was granted in Jerop’s favor, pending the full determination of the succession case.
Barnabas Bargoria, a former National Irrigation Board Managing Director, died five years ago, leaving behind two widows, seven children, and a vast multi-billion-shilling estate spread across Nairobi, Uasin Gishu, and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
In his petition to the Court of Appeal, Kiptoo argues that the High Court’s ruling unfairly prevents him from accessing his family home located on the disputed land. He insists that the judgment exposes him to irreparable damage and prejudice, terming the decision as undeserved. Kiptoo has requested that his application be certified as extremely urgent and heard on a priority basis.
On her part, Jerop, in a sworn affidavit, maintained that the contested property forms part of their late father’s estate, which was left without a will. She accuses her stepbrother of encroaching on the land and initiating large-scale investment projects without the consent of other family members.
The legal dispute highlights the growing number of succession battles in Kenya involving high-value estates. With multi-billion shillings at stake and deeply rooted family divisions, the outcome of the appeal could set a significant precedent in inheritance cases involving prominent families.
As the matter heads to the Court of Appeal, all eyes remain on how the judiciary will navigate the sensitive balance between family claims and the protection of estates pending succession proceedings.
