K’Osewe Ranalo is famed for its traditional Kenyan delicacies and highly rated on Tripadvisor as one of the best restaurants in the country. William Guda Osewe began by hawking Mshikaki in Kaloleni before starting an eatery under a tree in the 70s.
The eatery became Ranalo Foods’, popularly known as K’Osewe and began operations at the Kenya Railways Central Station, before moving to Kenyatta Avenue and finally Kimathi Street.
Here is the story of William Guda Osewe as told by WoK.
Personal Life and Business
Osewe established himself as an astute businessman with a hands-on approach towards his business. He worked hard and built a reputable restaurant that attracts both locals and non-locals. The business was on an upward trajectory and he soon opened other branches in Nairobi and another in Kisumu.
All was going well until a gun incident changed his life for the worse and ruined his business. His property is earmarked for auction for failing to pay a loan he took to expand his business.
Despite the financial woes, at the end of 2020, he opened yet another branch in Westlands located off Mvuli road.
Tragedy
The businessman told the Daily Nation that his life took a turn for the worse 2016. He was seated in his restaurant along Kimathi Street when he decided to visit a friend in Garden City to pick materials for the construction of his hotel in Kisumu.
Instead of heading to his intended destination, he took a detour and headed towards Roasters hotel. He spotted a car belonging to Tom Oywa Mboya who owed him money and upon seeing him the man alighted and began walking away. Osewe urged him to stop so they could talk.
Instead, Oywa drew his gun and despite him raising his hands in the air as a show of surrender, the man fired. The first bullet hit his chest, the second his arm and finally while crawling away the third bullet hit his back. Another bullet hit a security guard.
Oywa proceeded to the police station where he reported he had killed someone. The shot restaurateur was rushed to a nearby hospital for first aid before being taken to Aga Khan University Hospital.
He spent two months in hospital and the bullet to the back had injured his spine. He racked up huge hospital bills and was unable to walk. For a man used to doing everything on his own, this was one of the lowest moments of his life.
He now has no choice but to depend on people and couldn’t even visit the toilet normally. He uses diapers and adapts to a totally new way of life.
Tom was no stranger to Osewe as the restaurant owner had previously used his tour company. Later, he says he discovered the man had been having an affair with his wife Stella Mutheu Osewe.
Initially, his wife denied the affair but after carrying out his investigation he discovered the affair was real. This led to their separation.
Tom Mboya’s Trial
During court proceedings, Tom Mboya’s lawyer said the reason for the altercation at garden city was the plaintiff’s wife and not money.
Mboya says Osewe confronted him for having an affair with his wife and that he drew his gun first and he only shot him out of self defense. On the other hand, there was no proof that Osewe had a gun at the time of the incident.
Last week, the accused was found guilty of attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm by outgoing Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku. The court ruled that the prosecution’s evidence was overwhelming.
“It is not in dispute that the accused shot at the complainant. He did so, not once but four times,” said the magistrate.
Through his lawyer, Mboya had pleaded to be given a non custodial sentence. The lawyer said Mboya was a family man with children to take care of and wanted him to be treated as a first offender.
This week, Mboya was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. William Osewe felt the sentence was justifiable but it could have been longer. After all, he is permanently disabled.
He feels the courts should reject any appeal he makes as he was a man with no remorse and even referred to Osewe as an animal during court proceedings.
Auctioneers
Ranalo Foods Upper Hill branch was shut down on 30 July 2020 after Bensure Auctioneers sold items from the restaurant over a debt they owed to Guaranty Trust Bank.
The court stopped the same bank from auctioning Blue Waters Hotel belonging to the restaurateur and a block of apartments in South C over a kes328 million bank loan.
This is after the businessman defaulted repayment in 2018 prompting the bank to issue a notice to auction the properties which were used as securities.
“An interim order is issued restraining the bank, its agents or servants from disposing or selling the hotel land in Kisumu and the apartments in South C. The appellants shall however pay the deposit within 45 days failure to which the court shall lift the orders,” the Court of Appeal Judges ruled.
Wife & Children
Osewe was married to Stella Mutheu but the two went separate ways after he discovered his wife was having an affair with Mboya. The couple had three children-Joseph, Staicy and Edward-who are also shareholders in their businesses.
