He is said to have been the third African to open and operate a car yard in Mombasa, an industry that was previously dominated by Arab, Indian, and Pakistani businessmen.

Today, Obama owns seven car yards in Mombasa, with about 300 new and used vehicles available for sale.

However, his journey to success was not easy. This is his journey as told by WoK:

In a recent interview with The Star, Obama disclosed that he was born in 1984 in Girigiri village in Kuria, Migori County.

His father had four wives, and Obama grew up in a polygamous family of 30 siblings.

After completing his primary school education, he joined Matare Boys High School in 1999, where he reportedly trekked 12 km daily.

However, he later transferred to Siria High School in Trans Mara, where he sat for his KCSE exams. He was often sent home over lack of school fees, and he spent many a school day working on his family farm.

Obama began hustling at an early age. His first job involved loading gravel on lorries at Maasai Mara, where he was paid a measly KSh 200.

After high school, he returned to his home village in Gigiri, where he opened and ran a small retail shop until thieves stole everything.

Obama dusted himself, armed himself with ksh 600 and two sets of clothes, and relocated to Kricho to start life afresh.

He arrived hungry and fatigued and spent his first night in a dilapidated Telekom call box. The next morning, he hit the ground running and started to hawk pineapples.

After hawking for several days, he met a former classmate who introduced him to the business of selling small merchandise such as pens, handkerchiefs, and socks.

The job involved working for a company which required Obama to travel to towns such as Kisumu, Sotik, and Kisii.

He worked for this company for a while until he decided to buy merchandise himself and sell at a profit, following his employer’s business model.

With time, he expanded to other towns such as Kitale, Kakamega, Kisumu, and Mombasa, where he became one of the largest wholesale sellers of merchandise.

Obama decided to settle in Mombasa and used his savings of KSh 20,000 to rent a shop, after which he borrowed KSh 150,000 to stock merchandise.

Over time, his business grew steadily, and he became one of the largest wholesalers in Mombasa.

A staunch Christian, he joined a local church, where he met various car dealers and gained interest in the trade.

He took a Sh 300,000 loan from his wife and bought his first car, a Toyota Vitz. He sold the car at a profit and bought his second car, a Toyota Spacio.

However, setbacks arose when he was abducted by thugs while withdrawing Sh 415,000 outside the bank to buy stock. The thieves took away all the money.

Luckily, Obama had built rapport with some traders from Eastleigh, who gave him another loan to recover his business.

Despite various setbacks, he worked hard and set up his first car yard, with mentorship from friends like Anthony Kimani. Becoming the third African to own a car yard in Mombasa.

Today, his car yard, Robimax Auto Trading Ltd yard, has seven branches in Mombasa, with at  least 300 new and used cars on sale.

Obama now guides and mentors his employees, making sure that they follow the same disciplined path that he has followed over many years of doing business.

“I don’t want my employees to simply be employees. I want them to be entrepreneurs, so I hold their hands, just like some people held my hand in their small ways,” he said.

She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Regal Africa Group, a Nairobi-based firm involved in real estate services, investment advisory, wealth management support.

In a recent interview on Young millionaire talks, Wambui disclosed that she has been in business since 2015, when she started the Regal Africa group.

She also revealed that she made her first million while she was still in her 20s.

When asked why she wanted to become an entrepreneur, she stated that that was the only sure path she knew to becoming wealthy. According to her, the majority of wealthy people in the world are entrepreneurs.

She also explained the difference between being rich and being wealthy.

“Being rich means you look like you have money. Wealth, on the other hand, means owning assets, having financial freedom, and having generational wealth,” she said.

Wambui, whose educational repertoire includes an MBA in Finance from Hult International Business School, stated that one of her most useful money lessons is that money comes and goes.

“No risk, no reward. That is the essence of entrepreneurship. If you want to be wealthy, you must have a great plan and make a calculated risk. If you are too conservative, you’ll not go far,” she said.

According to Wambui, one reason some employed people struggle to build wealth is that they remain in the same career positions for a long time and are often unwilling to take financial risks.

She stated that in her opinion, Nairobi is the best place to invest in real estate in Kenya.

She explained that Nairobi has positioned itself as an international city and has a lot of young people, similar to other cities like Dubai, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Wambui, who describes herself as a real estate wealth strategist, stated that a good investment strategy for young people is investing in real estate.

“You want to start thinking about acquiring your first property. This means that you need to find a decent apartment in a great location that can generate income for you,” she said, adding that having cashflow is one of the key tenets of being wealthy.

She gave examples of real estate investment projects in Kenya, including developments such as Qwetu which provide housing for university students in major towns such as Nairobi.

She also explained that a person can start with as little as Ksh 50, 000 to Ksh 100,000 and continue buying shares over time.

“I tell young people to start with what they have. Form an investment group of like-minded young people, pool resources, and that’s how you start your investment journey,” she said.

Her best business advice is for entrepreneurs to stay true to their vision and trust the process.

“Nobody said it was going to be smooth or easy. But if you have a great idea and a great plan, eventually you will be successful,” she said.

Wambui also believes that one of the greatest advantages young people have is time.

Her interest in real estate started while she was in her 20s, but she said she was only able to fully pursue some of her real estate goals later in her 30s and 40s.

She therefore encourages young people to remain patient and continue believing in their dreams and goals.

Finally, Wambui said she is a committed Christian and believes that success requires God’s guidance.

“You can have the best plans and put in all the work. But if God does not have your back, everything you do is futile,” she said.

Today, he credits patience and listening to people for helping him rise to the top of a financial institution that boasts over 240,000 members and an asset base of over ksh 34 billion.

In a recent quick-fire interview session, Ngugi described himself as a social person who enjoys working with people.

Growing up, he wanted to become a teacher. Although his career took a different direction, he still enjoys leading and helping people achieve their dreams.

One of the biggest lessons he says he has learned is that patience pays.

He believes business leaders should have integrity and help bring positive change to the organisations they lead.

Ngugi said that he starts his day at 5 am and ends it at 10 pm. He prefers jogging to working out in a gym and is an ardent fan of Harambee Stars, while Mombasa remains his favourite holiday destination.

Internationally, he supports Arsenal, which plays in the English Premier League.

At work, he enjoys hearing from members about Tower Sacco’s products and services. He finds it especially rewarding when they explain how those products have improved their lives.

“I love it when customers enquire about our products and services and when they talk about how Tower Sacco’s products have changed their lives,” he said.

Ngugi said that the late Bob Collymore, who was Safaricom’s CEO from 2010 until his death in 2019, was his leadership mentor and has had the greatest influence on his leadership journey.

Encouraging young people to invest

Ngugi, who revealed that he made his first million at the age of 30, advised young people to begin investing early, even if they can only afford small amounts.

“Life is about investing. The little you have, you invest,” he said. He stated that enormous financial growth rarely happens overnight, and instead happens when young people save little by little.

He also encouraged Tower Sacco members to keep investing and remain hopeful about the future, adding that he looks forward to Tower Sacco’s goal of achieving ksh 80 billion in assets by 2030.

Earlier this year, Tower sacco marked one of the most impressive cooperative achievements in the country, having achieved a net asset base of ksh 34.56 billion and a membership surpassing 247,800.

This marked a 29% increase from the sacco’s 192, 270 members that it recorded in 2024.

Ngugi attributed this growth to disciplined members and strong leadership.

He also shared that his borrowing eligibility under the sacco’s T-Express service ranges from KSh 18,000 to KSh 20,000.

Speaking ahead of Tower Sacco’s Customer Service Week, Ngugi encouraged staff to be patient when listening to members. He said understanding their needs would help staff serve them better.

He also urged employees to take time to listen and show a willingness to help members grow financially.

“I would urge my staff to be patient when listening and dealing with the members to understand them and have the passion for helping them grow,” he said.

For members, his message was to continue investing and maintain a positive outlook.

His takeaway was that digitization is the future, and therefore it should be embraced by all financial institutions, tower scaco included.

“We are transforming this organization digitally because we know that digitization is the future. Many people are going to enjoy our products through digital lending,” he said.

Tower Sacco background

Tower Sacco began with a group of primary school teachers in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County.

They paid an entrance fee of KSh 20 and shared a belief that pooling their resources could help them improve their lives.

The organisation was formally registered on September 15, 1976, as Nyandarua Teachers Sacco Society. It started with 125 members and share capital of KSh 90,000.

Initially, the sacco served teachers only. In 2011, it opened its membership to other groups, including government employees, farmers, traders, jua kali workers, and Kenyans living abroad.

Currently, the sacco operates at least 31 branches across nine counties, supported by over 300 agents nationwide.

Its product portfolio includes premium loans, asset finance loans, salaried loans, among other lending products.

The tycoon, who has mastered the art of keeping a low public profile, is one of the most powerful figures in Kenya’s cement manufacturing industry.

Ndeta is an architect, a corporate leader, cement industry investor, and serial entrepreneur

This is his journey as told by WoK:

Who is Benson Ndeta?

According to Construction Kenya, Ndeta, who was born in 1972, holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology.

He is also a member of the Architectural Association of Kenya as well as the Quantity Surveyors in Kenya.

Ndeta shot to the national limelight in 2003 when then-Trade Minister Mukhisa Kituyi appointed him as chairman of East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) when he was just 31 years old.

As chairman, he managed to steer EAPCC from financial ruin and transformed it into a profit-making company, with its production capacity increasing and its financial performance also improving.

Founding Savannah Cement

Ndeta left EAPCC in 2008 and became one of the key founders of Savannah Cement in 2012, alongside Chinese investors and two other Kenyans named John Gachanga and Donald Mwaura.

The company sought to challenge established construction giants such as Bamburi Cement, East African Portland Cement, Mombasa Cement, and Athi River Mining.

Savannah Cement quickly gathered momentum, and by mid 2010, it had become one of East Africa’s largest cement manufacturers.

However, Ndeta fell into various legal battles and disputes with his business associates, which led him to cede his stake in Savannah Cement to a third party in November 2022.

After co-founding Savannah Cement, Ndeta launched another company, Savannah Clinker Limited, in 2019.

Instead of manufacturing cement directly, Ndeta’s new company focused on the production of clinker, one of the main raw materials used in cement production.

He launched a multi-billion-shilling clinker plant in Kitui County, which supplied numerous manufacturing factories across the country with clinker.

Acquiring Bamburi Cement

In August 2024, Ndeta’s company, Savannah Clinker, attempted to acquire Bamburi Cement, one of East Africa’s largest cement manufacturers.

His initial bid was Sh25.41 billion, while another Tanzanian conglomerate, Amsons Group, offered 23.59 billion.

Ndeta reportedly offered up to KSh 75 per share, far outbidding the Tanzanian company.

However, legal troubles disrupted his effort, and Savannah Clinker was forced to withdraw from the acquisition process.

Had the bid succeeded, Ndeta would have earned a seat at the table of Africa’s most powerful cement tycoons, such as Aliko Dangote of Nigeria, who owns Dangote Cement.

Aside from cement manufacturing, public records show that Ndeta has been involved in several other companies.

He has served as director of Adventis Inhouse Africa, an architectural consultancy involved in planning and design projects.

Additionally, he is associated with Rapid Communications Ltd, a telecommunications service provider focused on the provision of wireless technologies and broadband services.

Controversy

In 2025, Ndeta was involved in legal battles that involved allegations of defrauding Absa Bank of ksh 4.5 billion.

The prosecution also alleged that Ndeta prepared and presented forged company documents to Absa’s relationship manager as genuine company records.

The arrest caused widespread speculation, with former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka suggesting that the charges were fabricated to sabotage his acquisition of Bamburi Cement.

“The arrest of Kenyan industrialist Benson Sande Ndeta today is intended to stop his bid for Bamburi Cement,” Said Kalonzo.

However, a High Court judgment quashed the criminal proceedings, declaring Ndeta’s prosecution as unlawful, null, and void.

But Sifuna reassured his supporters: “Wanasema ati sina chama, hii siasa tulifunzwa na Raila Odinga.”

Finally, the moment came and on 4th October 2026, it was a Sifuna moment when he announced that he would vie on The Equitable Party (TEP) ticket.

The party was founded by Dr Gilbert Shanga, an experienced statistician and entrepreneur.

Early life

Dr. Shanga comes from Vihiga County. He attended Muhudu Primary School in Vihiga county and sat for his primary school examinations in 1985 and was to join Senende High School but his parents couldn’t raise the school fees.

Unfortunately he had to pause his education for one year before he enrolled at the then newly-opened Muhudu secondary school .

After surmounting all the challenges, Gilbert Shanga is  currently a senior biostatistics executive with more than 20 years of experience in research and development, clinical trials and data analysis across multiple therapeutic areas.

According to his official website, he currently serves as Director of Biostatistics at Haleon in Warren, New Jersey, a position he has held since 2021. In this role, he provides strategic and technical leadership in biostatistics, coordinates clinical study and data-management activities, oversees external vendors, mentors statisticians and contributes to regulatory and business decisions. His work spans clinical studies from development through publication, as well as real-world data and evidence.

Previously, Shanga spent nearly 16 years at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, where he rose to Manager of Biostatistics. His responsibilities included statistical leadership for clinical trials, regulatory interactions, data integrity initiatives, real-world evidence studies and FDA advisory committee preparations. He also developed statistical models, authored analysis plans and led process-improvement initiatives.

Earlier in his career, he worked as a Senior Statistician at Unilever, focusing on study design, sampling, statistical analysis and innovative data-analytical methodologies.

Shanga holds a PhD in Statistics from Kansas State University, an MBA from Montclair State University, a Master’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics from Western Illinois University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Nairobi.

His professional expertise includes SAS, R, Power BI, Spotfire and other statistical software. He is also a member of the American Statistical Association and has co-authored numerous scientific publications covering clinical research, respiratory health, pain management, nicotine products, dermatology and real-world healthcare data.Source: the résumé provided by the user.

However, rather than succumbing to depression, he decided to use the skills and connections that he already had to pick himself up again.

According to Odote, who is best known as the billionaire behind The Odote Group, House of Procurement (HOP), and Homeboyz Entertainment, his only resources at the time were a laptop, wifi, and his skills.

Within two weeks, he had leveraged his resources and skills to organize for the musicians who would be performing at one of Kenya’s most popular entertainment events, the Masaku 7s Rugby Festival.

The event, which was launched in 2012, was a sporting and entertainment festival that drew rugby fans and revellers from all corners of the country to Machakos County.

Odote said that he made serious money by bringing in renowned musicians and entertainers to the Masaku 7s festival.

He estimated that within the two weeks during which the festival took place, he made at least ksh 12 million, which helped him leave his cousin’s house and start life afresh.

“Two weeks after losing everything, Masaku 7s was happening, and I was the one who was bringing the musicians. I made a lot of money out of that. I even bought a new car,” he said.

His message was that starting over can begin with one useful skill, one job, or one connection. “You may have lost everything, but you have not lost everything you know. Just start again,” he said.

Unlike many Kenyan tycoons who build their businesses by focusing on one line of business, Odote built his business empire by building a diversified business portfolio.

He is a major shareholder in Homeboyz Entertainment, which owns brands such as Homeboyz TV, HBR 103.5 (Homeboyz Radio), Soundtraxx, Activate, Publicis Africa Group, and Tikiti.

He is also the managing director of The Odote Group of Companies, which operates under the VOVO brand.

His other business, The House of Procurement, deals in the supply of agricultural products and renewable energy as well as microlending and equipment leasing.

In Dr Ofweneke’s interview, Odote disclosed that he began making money during his university days.

During one of the holidays, he formed a team which went around schools in Mombasa showing the film The Passion of the Christ. He said he charged about KSh50 per screening and also sold revision books to students.

By the time he joined university, he said, he had about KSh1.7 million.

However, he did not allow his business to distract him from his studies. He revealed that he graduated magna-cum-laude with an average score of more than 96% across 80 units.

He told Ofweneke that he was not surprised by the result because he had put in the work.

“When you put the work, you’re not really surprised,” he said. “There’s an expectation already that you had of it.”

Odote also revealed that he was a heavy drinker at some point in his life.

He said he worked in a brewery and drank heavily for a couple of years, but stopped taking alcohol when he realized that the drink could damage a person’s health, relationships, and future.

“You cannot be a good father, a good businessman, a billionaire drunk,” he said.

He argued that the cost of drinking is not only financial, and that it can consume one’s time and affect a person’s ability to follow through on important opportunities.

According to him, quitting alcohol has helped him make massive strides in life, while many of his friends have stagnated.

All he had was a flying license, a dream, and an ambition.

Today, Tropic Air offers charters to Kenya’s wealthiest 1%, including celebrities like Sir David Attenborough.

This is Jamie Roberts ’ journey as told by WoK:

Roberts was born in Nakuru, with his family later settling in Baringo’s Kampi Ya Samaki. There, the family operated a fish factory, with Jamie helping his mother take care of his five siblings.

His father passed away when he was only three years old. His grandparents had a small farm in Limuru, where they were small-scale farmers.

At 15, he left school and began working for a local farmer, handling machine maintenance at his various farms.

He later joined a flying club in Nakuru, where he learned how to fly fixed-wing aircraft to make it easier and quicker for him to commute between far-flung locales.

Roberts soon decided to use this knowledge to venture into the aviation business, taking advantage of Kenya’s budding tourism industry in the early 1990s, as new lodges were opening up in Nanyuki and other areas of Laikipia.

With no money to buy an aircraft of his own, he took a loan and leased a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver aircraft from Anthony Dyer. With this aircraft, he began offering scenic flights around Mt Kenya.

“There were about three key lodges in Laikipia when we started. Lewa, Ol Malo, Loisaba, and perhaps a few other small ones. We would also fly people to Turkana and into the Chalbi Desert for camping safaris,” he said.

The business picked up, and within a few years, Tropic Air had grown to become the second busiest air charter company in the country, successfully operating a fleet of Cessna aircraft.

In 2006, the company diversified into helicopters, offering a wide variety of heli-services and safaris throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Kenya, Uganda, Congo, and Ethiopia became the company’s main destinations.

Today, Tropic Air is based at Nanyuki airfield, between the towns of Naro Moru and Nanyuki, just a few kilometres south of the equator. There, the company offers private flights and helicopter services.

The company has a lean team of about a dozen pilots, led by Jamie Roberts. Additionally, the company has directly and permanently employed at least 50 people.

Their fleet features at least a dozen fixed-wing aircraft, including the all-terrain Cessna Grand Caravan, five Airbus H125 (AS350B3), and an Airbus H130.

The Airbus H125 and H130 helicopters perform best in hot and dusty conditions, while the Cessnas are ideal for groups of 2-12 passengers.

Tropic Air is credited with much of the infrastructure behind Nanyuki Airfield, which features simple wooden buildings, extensive lawns, and breathtaking scenery.

The company has diversified its services to include wildlife translocations, extraordinary tourism, aerial photography, cargo flights, crop spraying, and medical evacuations.

According to Roberts, his most frightening experience as a Tropic Air pilot was landing between matatus at Nairobi’s Globe roundabout with a camera crew.

He was quickly surrounded by menacing young men. “I thought they would strip my chopper for scrap metal,” he said in an interview with Standard. However, he took off without incident.

He maintains that Kenya is generally a friendly country, unlike other regions where people are aggressive first and friendly later.

Despite Tropic Air’s success, Jamie stated that the cost of operating an aviation business in Kenya is very high. According to him, importing a helicopter costs at least $3million, with a 48% tax on top.

He stated that this is why few people have helicopters in Kenya, saying that you will rarely find him flying his family around in one.

However, he still maintains that for Tropic Air, the sky is the limit.

Behind the business is the Kinuthia family. The late John Kinuthia (J.K.) and his wife, Zipporah Wanjiku, founded Quickmart in 2006.

Following John’s death in 2016, Zipporah and her two children, Duncan Kinuthia and Wambui Kinuthia, took over the reins.

According to Wambui, her mother had long envisioned owning a supermarket business.

“My mother always believed that one day she would own a supermarket chain that was as large as Tuskeys, which controlled a large chunk of Kenya’s retail business at the time,” said Wambui.

At the time, the family ran a hospitality business that was basically a hotel, bar, and lodgings.

The patriarch of the family, John Kinuthia, also ran a paraffin retail business and a posho mill.

Wambui’s brother, Duncan, joined the business while still in high school, working in the shop during the holidays. Once he completed high school, he joined the business full time.

While Wambui went on to college and university, Duncan moved straight from the classroom into the shop. He learned how the business worked and gradually developed a passion for it.

Wambui credited Quickmart’s current success to Duncan’s God-given wisdom. “He saw what my mom and dad envisioned, and he ran with it,” she said.

According to Duncan, who goes by the moniker DK111, Quickmart began as a small shop that was initially called KIDS Supermarket.

His parents did not want a large shop since they still wanted space to run their restaurant business.

After spending some time in his parents’ shop in Nakuru, Duncan relocated to Ruai in 2019, in the eastern part of Nairobi, to expand the business.

His parents and sister remained in Nakuru.

The shop he set up in Ruai was larger than his parents’ shop in Nakuru, and the business quickly caught fire.

He soon opened another branch in Ruaka town, which became the headquarters of Quickmart supermarket.

Duncan credits much of his success to following his parents’ advice.

“My father taught me about the importance of honesty in business. He was always reminding me to be honest and respectful to my suppliers. My mother, a staunch Christian, cemented these values in me,” he said.

Zipporah, his mother, considers it a blessing that her children have found success in the family business.

She advises business owners to introduce their children to the family business early so they can begin learning how it works.

She also gave the example of the Indian community, where children are introduced into the family business at an early age.

“Their children learn about the business because the indians have the foresight to know that they will not stay in that business forever. It will come a point when they will grow old, and they will not have the energy to run the business,” she said.

However, Zipporah admitted that some parents may have children who may not be interested in the family business.

In that case, she said that it can be very hard to change them and that only God can change their hearts and attitudes.

Speaking to Massawe Japanni, Sarah stated that Bonfire had lost many customers since their separation in 2024.

According to her, some clients moved to the separate businesses that she and Simon established.

She alleged that during Bonfire’s glory days, Mr Kabu had opened and registered another company under the guise of mentorship.

However, Sarah later came to learn that Kabu’s company had been competing with Bonfire, and that he had entrusted its management to someone else.

“When he opened his company, I also decided to open mine. So, many of Bonfire’s customers moved to our businesses,” said Sarah. “Those who supported me became my customers, while those who supported Simon became his customers. As a result, Bonfire lost customers to both our companies,” she added.

However, Sarah said that clients who did not take sides continued to support Bonfire, and that the business is still doing well.

She stated that they are currently in search of investors who can invest their money in Bonfire and take the business to the next level.

“We are in communication with investors from Kenya and other countries so that we can see whether we can find anyone willing to invest in the business,” she stated.

Power couple to adversaries  

Simon and Sarah founded Bonfire Adventures around 2007–2008. For more than 10 years, the two earned the enviable reputation of being Kenya’s power couple in the tourism sector.

They jointly participated in marketing campaigns, media interviews, motivational talks, and international tours.

In 2024, Simon stated in an interview that he and Sarah co-owned Bonfire on a 50:50 basis, with him serving as the CEO while Sarah served as the managing director.

That same year, their relationship broke down, with Sarah accusing Simon of infidelity, domestic violence, and siphoning Bonfire’s customers to the new company he had established.

Simon vehemently denied the accusations and vowed to seek legal redress and compensation, deeming Sarah’s allegations as defamatory.

Their marital disagreements quickly grew into a full-fledged corporate & legal war involving defamation suits, control of company property, and client retention.

Court documents from 2024 showed Sarah alleging that Simon was diverting clients and Bonfire resources to his new company.

She claimed to be the true founder of Bonfire, arguing that she was the one who came up with the original idea to build the company.

In CCTV footage from 2024, Sarah stated during a staff meeting that Simon was secretly launching a new business with their daughter, and that he was undermining Bonfire Adventures from within.

More disputes

One of Sarah and Simon’s court disputes involved the control of 48 Safaricom lines linked to Bonfire’s business.

Sarah claimed that the lines were essential to Bonfire’s operations and that they were useful for customer acquisition and communication.

However, the High Court noted that the lines were registered in Simon Kabu’s name and that there was no evidence showing that Kabu was using the lines to sabotage Bonfire.

The court also noted that the lines formed only a fraction of Bonfire’s communication channels, and that the company had over 100 registered lines.

Justice Mong’are dismissed the application and ordered Sarah and Bonfire to bear all the costs that were associated with the case.

The company owns and manages some of the most iconic hotels in Kenya, including the legendary Outspan Hotel in Nyeri and Treetops Lodge in Aberdare National Park.

In this article, WoK takes a look at the tycoons who own Aberdare Safari Hotels.

Historical Appeal

The hotels’ story goes back to Major Eric Sherbrooke Walker and his wife, Lady Bettie.

The couple opened Outspan Hotel in 1928 and Treetops in 1932.

Outspan Hotel is located about 17 kilometres from Nairobi National Park and sits on a sprawling 20-acre vista overlooking the slopes of Mount Kenya.

One of the hotel’s main attractions is Paxtu Cottage, where the founder of the Boy Scout Movement, Lord Baden-Powell, spent his sunset years before he was later buried in Nyeri.

He spent his life in the cottage with his wife, Lady Baden Powell, celebrated as the founder of the Scout and Girl Guide movements.

Following the Powells’ deaths, Paxtu cottage became a museum, attracting thousands of tourists annually.

Another flagship property of the Aberdare Safaris Hotels is Treetops Lodge, famous for its links with the late Queen Elizabeth II of England.

In 1952, while visiting Kenya, Elizabeth, who was a princess at the time, had just left Treetops for Sagana Lodge when she received news of the death of her father, King George VI.

The news marked the dawn of her 70-year reign as queen.

Treetops is currently leased by two sons of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Keith Gachagua and Kelvin Gachagua.

They leased the hotel in 2024, following a deal they cut with the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Aside from Treetops and Outspan, Aberdare Safaris Hotels has also managed other properties, such as Shimba Lodge, which is located in Shimba Hills National Reserve in Kwale County.

The lodge became part of Aberdare Safaris Hotel’s wider hospitality portfolio in 1986.

Aberdare Safari Hotels Ownership

Historically, the ownership of Aberdare Safari Hotels has been concentrated among wealthy Kenyan families and political figures.

The company’s ownership structure was partially revealed in 2025, following a major share-buyback transaction.

In a gazette public notice, the company announced that it had purchased 1,272,400 ordinary shares from Wagema Limited and 1,272,400 shares from Wain Limited, for a combined worth of ksh 254.48 million.

Wagema Limited is closely tied to the family of former Tetu MP James Ndung’u Gethenji, who also served as the Director of Personnel Management during the Kenyatta and Moi eras.

Aside from Aberdare Safari Hotels, perhaps the most valuable assets associated with Wagema Limited are Kihingo Village and Waridi Gardens developments in Kitisuru, one of Nairobi’s most exclusive suburbs.

The project, which is worth billions, is a luxury gated community that sits on approximately 37 acres and consists of dozens of ultra-high-end homes.

The other shareholder of Aberdare Safari Hotels, Wain Limited, is owned by the family of businessman and philanthropist James Waibochi.

Each member of the Waibochi family owns at least 1000 shares in the company.

You may recognize Mr Waibochi as the Director of Kenyanisation of the Personnel Bureau at the Ministry of Labour during Jomo Kenyatta’s government.

Another notable member of the broader Waibochi family is John Waibochi, founder and CEO of Virtual City.
He gained international recognition after winning Nokia’s Growth Economy Venture Challenge in 2010 and was awarded ksh 80 million.