KAPTULI

By William Kiptoo


 


Kaptuli area in Moiben, Uasin Gishu, Kenya, is thriving community.

The area is located in Tembelio Ward, in Moiben sub-county. The center is located along the Eldoret-Iten road, some 22 Kms from Eldoret city.
The name is derived from "Tooley," with the Kalenjin translation meaning "the home of Tooley." After many years of stagnation, Kaptuli has witnessed significant developments, and has transformed into a bustling center of economic and social activity.
These days, Kaptuli has new establishment including shops, eateries, grocery stores, hardware outlets, and maize-selling stores. It is the only center in the North Rift that passion fruit is being collected and exported to Uganda. This shift is part of a broader trend among local farmers, who are moving away from traditional maize and wheat farming towards horticulture and diversified farming practices.
Kaptuli remains the only center where the sale of alcohol is banned, and no bars exist, preserving the social fabric of the community.
Historically, the 1,500-acre Kaptuli farm was originally owned by a European settler named Tom. The farm shared borders with the Kruger Farm to the north, Rock Farm to the west, Kaplogoi in the south and Cheburbur to the East. The farm was later inhabited by Alfred Tooley, a member of the Tooley family who arrived in Kenya from South Africa in 1922. The Tooleys initially settled in Mau Summit before moving to Koru and Fort Ternan, eventually establishing themselves in Sergoit. Alfred and his family had three children: Martha Catherine, James Peter, and Phyllis Polhill.
Tragedy struck in 1966 when the Tooley family was involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway. Following this devastating event, the three remaining brothers sold the farm and relocated abroad—one to South Africa, another to the United Kingdom, and the third to Canada. Dave Tooley, one of the surviving brothers, married Hettie Kruger, the daughter of Ernest Kruger, while Ross Tooley now resides in Newark, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Part of the Tooley's estate is now owned by the Catholic Church, which has taken over several buildings. The church has since constructed a priest’s residence on the property, and some of the existing structures have been renovated and are maintained by the church, which also operates the Kaptuli Mission School. The house on the opposite side of the school, once the Tooley family’s main residence, is privately owned.

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