The approval was announced through Gazette Notice No. 16875, dated September 21, 2026.

It was signed by Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) Director-General David Kemei.

ABCD is an investment and business development group headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The company invests in and develops businesses across several sectors.

These sectors include healthcare, pharmaceuticals, insurance, financial services, digital technology, energy, clean-energy manufacturing, artificial intelligence, medical equipment, and infrastructure.

The company operates in more than 15 African countries.

Additionally, its operations extend to the Middle East and Asia, serving over 15 million customers each year and employing over 4,000 workers.

Saini is best known as the founder and chairman of Bliss Healthcare, one of Kenya’s largest networks of private outpatient medical centres.

The Bliss Chain of Hospitals operates about 65 outpatient clinics across 37 counties, including major towns like Bungoma, Eldoret, Kikuyu, Migori, Meru and Mlolongo.

Additionally, it has other branches in Tanzania.

Saini established Bliss in 2012, and the clinic offers services such as consultations, laboratory services, pharmacy services, dental treatment, and specialised medical care.

Aside from Bliss Healthcare, Saini also owns other businesses including Lifecare Hospitals, Dinlas Pharma, Fertility Point, Medical Administrators Kenya Limited (MAKL) and Star Discover Insurance.

The tycoon’s interest in the healthcare business can be traced back to his family background.

His father, Dr Umesh Saini, is credited with establishing Nairobi West Hospital, which is one of the leading private hospitals in Nairobi.

For more than 10 years, Saini has invested and expanded into the pharmaceutical manufacturing business through Dinlas Pharma, which manufactures medicines for the Kenyan and regional markets.

He has often stated his plans to expand his healthcare business across Africa, including the use of technology to improve medical services.

The tycoon’s acquisition of the ABCD group will give him control over all the companies under its umbrella.

Star Discover Insurance and MAKL are some of the companies that are part of ABCD’s financial services business.

Star Discover deals in the provision of insurance services and is registered by the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Kenya.

These services cover areas such as medical treatment, motor vehicles, property, and accidents.

MAKL, its sister company, deals in the administration of medical insurance schemes, including coordinating healthcare providers and processing medical claims.

By acquiring ABCD, Saini will become one of Africa’s strongest healthcare tycoons.

His acquisition happens at a time when Kenya’s healthcare and insurance sectors are increasingly expanding.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ 2026 Economic Survey, the number of beds in private healthcare facilities increased from 47,124 in 2024 to 50,828 in 2025.

Reports also estimate that Kenya’s insurance penetration rose to 2.63 per cent in 2025.

Saini’s competitors include Equity Group CEO James Mwangi, whose organisation supports the rapidly expanding Equity Afya healthcare network.

Here is the story as told by WoK:-

Background and Family

Mr Tanna was born and brought up in Kitale. He is among the alumni of Kitale School – in fact, he was the first Asian child to enroll at the school after it started admitting non-whites in 1962.

Paresh Tanna lost his brother, Natubhai Tanna in 2023 after prolonged illness. The sibling’s cremation was attended by prominent people including Trans Nzoia Deputy Governor Philomena Kapkory.

What Paresh Tanna Owns

Though the Tanna Group, Paresh Tanna is linked to several commercial properties in Kitale CBD.

• One Tanna Towers – The tallest building in Kitale that stands at 12 floors. Its construction cost was a whooping Ksh 500 million.
• R.B Shah building – It houses among other clients Optica. It is reported that Optica pays an estimated monthly rent of Ksh 150k.
• Western Seed warehouse building
• The building that hosted Tuskys Supermarket – It cost an estimated Ksh 400 million to construct.
• Equity and Absa banks building.
• One Tanna Residency

Another tycoon who has contributed to reshaping Kitale’s skyline is Ibrahim Ambwere. He ranks among the richest people from Western Kenya.

He owns commercial buildings in Kitale, Kakamega, Chavakali and Kisumu. The tycoon lives in Kitale and his Ambwere plaza is rented by a number of government parastatals. Even though he is estimated to be worth billions he never wants to reveal his net worth.

The Nairobi-based company, known as Definite Assurance Company, now handles about a quarter of insurance claims in the matatu sector, according to Business Daily.

By June 2026, its market share had increased to 25.03%, up from just 4.74% a year earlier.

Karauri is a major shareholder in the company, alongside Peter Mbugua, who owns the Quiver Lounge & Grill chain of bars and entertainment venues.

Previously, Kenya’s insurance market was controlled by Directline Assurance, whose one of the major shareholders is Royal Media Services founder S.K. Macharia.

One of Directline’s biggest competitors was African Merchant Assurance Company (Amaco), whose shareholders include First Lady Rachel Ruto and her daughter Charlene Ruto.

Other top players in Kenya’s insurance scene include Pioneer, Invesco, Britam, and GA Insurance.

Entering the Kenyan market

Definite Assurance Co. entered the Kenyan market on Dec. 11, 2024, after its shareholders raised ksh 600 million in capital ($4.6 million).

From the get-go, the company focused on insuring matatus, which make up the largest share of Kenya’s public transport sector.

However, Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) CEO Godfrey Kiptum explained that Definite was licensed to handle all kinds of insurance claims, including medical, fire, aviation, and home insurance.

Registry records suggest that Kushian Muchiri is the company’s largest shareholder with 30%, followed by Mikaj Topgrains Co. with 25%.

Mbugia and Karauri held 22% and 10% shares, respectively.

In 2025, the partnership was rocked by disputes, and Mbugua, who had invested Sh 175 million, sought to sell his stake for Sh 500 million, while other shareholders sought to sell their claims for Sh 195 million.

However, the disputes were later resolved, and Mbugua remains one of the company’s largest shareholders.

Other businesses

Aside from his stake in Definite Assurance, Karauri has built a fortune as the head of Sports Pesa, one of the largest betting companies in Kenya.

Reports suggest that he started in the company after selling a plot of land for ksh 25 million.

Sports Pesa grew by leaps and bounds in the 2010s and has sponsored English Premier League club Everton and Kenyan football.

Although Sports Pesa exited the Kenyan market in 2019 following a tax dispute, the company made its reentry through Milestone Games Ltd, still co-owned by Karauri.

Karauri, who previously worked as a Kenya Airways pilot for 11 years, is the current Member of Parliament for Kasarani Constituency and has recently shown interest in the Nairobi County gubernatorial seat.

Mbugua’s Quiver chain operates at least six bars and entertainment joints, located on Thika Road, Kilimani, Eastlands, Kitengela, Kenol, and Murang’a.

He built the brand from a single nightclub along Thika Road into one of Kenya’s largest nightlife and entertainment chains.

A tycoon who has mastered the art of keeping a low profile, reports suggest that Mbugua does not drink alcohol and rarely misses church services despite his line of business.

Aside from Quiver, Mbugua owns and co-owns other businesses in the hospitality sector through his company, Swingers Skypark Lounge Ltd.

The company provides cleaning services to homes, businesses, institutions, and government offices. It specializes in cleaning carpets, mattresses, furniture, vehicles and buildings.

In an interview with Chams Media’s Daring Abroad, Okubo, who has also been featured on Forbes, explained that when he moved to the US, his intention was not to start a business, but to promote Kenya as a tourist destination.

He was born in the United Kingdom in 1969.

His father was from Busia County, while his mother was from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.

In the early 1970s, Okubo’s family relocated to Kenya, and they enrolled him in various schools including Victoria Primary School, St. Mary’s, Upper Hill, and Maranda High.

In 1987, his parents divorced, which prompted him to relocate from Kenya to Maryland, in the United States.

However, he soon discovered that life in America was a far cry from the Hollywood and Disney fantasies he had imagined.

After struggling with severe culture shock and a lack of jobs, Okubo decided to relocate back to Kenya after five years.

“My mother couldn’t believe I was giving up the US to come back home,” he said.

After returning to Kenya, he struggled for a while until he landed a job at a travel agency, where he learned about Kenya’s vibrant tourism industry.

Using the experience he had gained, he started his own travel company called Johnny Be Good Safaris.

The company organized trips for Kenyans who wanted to visit different destinations around the country, allowing customers to pay in installments.

As the business developed, Okubo began looking for ways to attract international clients.

In 2002, he decided to travel back to the United States to market his company to American tourists.

Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan.

Around the time Okubo travelled to America, Kenya was dealing with the effects of the terrorist attack on the Paradise Hotel in Mombasa.

The attack put Kenya in a very bad light as a tourist destination.

This left him stranded in America without a clear way of earning money. He therefore decided to approach his brother, who was also living in the US, asking for a temporary job.

His brother encouraged him to apply for a job at Stanley Steemer, an American cleaning company.

At first, Okubo only wanted to earn enough money to cover his expenses and his plane ticket back to Kenya.

However, after joining the company, he discovered something that caught his attention.

“I saw a cleaning technique I’d never seen in East Africa before,” he explained.

Rather than the traditional mops and brushes that Okubo was used to, he was introduced to modern cleaning equipment and technology that the company was using.

After working in the company for several months, Okubo decided to start his own cleaning business.

“I need to save up money, buy my equipment, introduce this back in Kenya,” he recalled telling himself.

He eventually founded 200 Degrees in Washington, D.C., in 2002.

Instead of concentrating on ordinary cleaning services, he decided to specialize in more technical cleaning work that required professional equipment.

His company offered services such as carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, mattress cleaning, and vehicle detailing.

It also expanded into cleaning buses, aircraft, large buildings and high windows.

As the business grew, Okubo began getting more clients.

“I could walk out the door and come back with $800 in a day’s work in the US,” he said.

Over time, he expanded his company’s operations to Kenya, beginning with Nairobi and Mombasa.

His main clients were businesses, government institutions and private organizations.

He also involved his wife and children in the business, with one of his children explaining that she manages bookings.

200 Degrees now has over 30 employees and is seeking to expand into other towns like Kisumu, Meru and Eldoret.

Okubo has also expressed interest in entering regional markets such as Tanzania and South Africa.

Some people even dream of owning one after hearing stories about the millions investors mint from the business.

However, according to nganya driver Henry Kilonzo, the reality on the ground is not always as glossy as it appears.

Speaking during a recent interview on the Ask the Owner TikTok page, Kilonzo shared his experiences in the matatu industry, explaining the challenges drivers face.

Dealing With Traffic Police and Kanjo Officers

One of the challenges Kilonzo discussed was dealing with traffic police and the more dreaded Nairobi County kanjos.

He explained that the two groups operate differently, particularly when vehicles are impounded.

“If my vehicle is impounded by the city kanjos, they ask for KSh 10,000 for each day that the vehicle is impounded. If impounded by traffic police, they only ask for a one-time fee of KSh 2,000,” he said.

According to him, many nganya drivers often breathe a sigh of relief whenever they get through the morning without paying bribes.

He claimed that before 11 am, officers may demand as much as KSh 2,000 for traffic violations, but the amount drops to KSh 500 after that time.

He said some drivers even set aside money for traffic officers every day to avoid problems, even when their vehicles have complied with traffic regulations.

High Cost of Joining a Matatu Sacco

Kilonzo explained that joining the matatu business requires considerable capital.

According to him, some established matatu SACCOs charge up to KSh 400,000 in registration fees.

However, he explained that the advantages of joining these SACCOs are that they have established operating stages, organised routes and loyal passengers.

He also claimed that some Nairobi routes, particularly along Jogoo Road and in Kayole, are dominated by powerful and wealthy cartels.

According to Kilonzo, operators who refuse to cooperate with these powerful individuals face the risk of having their SACCOs and vehicles bought out, potentially pushing them out of business.

He further alleged that some matatus owned by influential politicians receive preferential treatment despite being caught on camera breaking traffic regulations.

“Some politically connected operators even offer passengers money to attract them to their vehicles,” he said.

Rising Fuel Prices and Low Earnings

Another major challenge Kilonzo discussed was the rising cost of fuel.

He revealed that his nganya currently consumes approximately KSh 1,300 worth of diesel per squad, compared to around KSh 800 before fuel prices increased.

However, despite the increase in operating costs, he explained that many matatu owners still expect drivers to deliver the same amount of money every evening.

In his case, Kilonzo said he is required to give his vehicle owner KSh 6,000 daily.

Kilonzo said this arrangement sometimes leaves drivers and conductors with very little money after toiling and sweating for the entire day, especially since some saccos prohibit the driver and conductor from hiring fares despite increased fuel prices.

In some cases, the two workers may go home with only KSh 200 each after paying for fuel and meeting the owner’s target.

His Advice to Potential Matatu Investors

For people considering investing in the matatu business, Kilonzo advised them to be careful when purchasing vehicles.

He explained that investors have the option of either buying brand-new vehicles or purchasing second-hand ones.

While new vehicles can be acquired through bank financing, he warned that failure to repay the loan can lead to repossession.

According to him, the smart strategy is to finish paying for the first vehicle, take another loan to purchase a second one, and then use earnings from both vehicles to repay the new loan.

By repeating this process, an investor may build a fleet within a few years.

“Never take a loan to buy a second vehicle if you have not finished paying for the first one,” he advised.

In the show, Ngina travels across Kenya, showcasing successful farmers, modern farming techniques, livestock rearing, crop production, and other ways that Kenyan farmers are increasing productivity.

But despite her obvious zeal and enthusiasm towards an industry that many consider to be the backbone of Kenya’s economy, you may be surprised to learn that Ngina started out with very little background in the agricultural sector.

Speaking on the Organic Guy Podcast, Ngina explained that she was an outgoing child who enjoyed performing.

In class five, she joined the exciting and chaotic world of boarding school, where she quickly stood out as a singer and dancer.

“I used to go in front of the class and sing for a whole two hours, dancing for people,” she recalled.

Agriculture never featured in her plans. Like most families, her parents would take her on upcountry visits to meet relatives.

She saw them engaging in farm work, but she was not particularly interested in it.

“I didn’t see myself doing anything in the agricultural sector; I was an entertainment girl,” she said.

After high school, Ngina worked in the communications department at Strathmore University, writing website stories and interviewing lecturers.

She later joined Kenyatta University to study fashion and design.

Through her course, she gained skills that enabled her to land gigs that involved styling artists for music videos and making outfits for weddings.

At 19, she walked into Homeboyz Radio without an appointment and asked for a job as a presenter.

The station rejected her bid and instead gave her a job as a sales executive, and she landed feet first in the world of radio advertising.

After working for several months, she joined KTN, where she landed a job that involved covering events.

Things were going well until the COVID pandemic hit Kenya, and Ngina lost her KTN job as the company restructured.

Ever the go-getter, she contacted flamboyant politician and former Milele FM presenter Jalang’o, who was building an online media business.

He agreed to hire her, and she began presenting an entertainment segment on Jalang’o TV. She later moved into acting, appearing in productions on Maisha Magic.

All this while, Ngina was figuring out how she would get her foot in the doors of Citizen TV.

Each time she drove past the station, she imagined working there and hosting popular shows like 10 over 10.

“I used to tell God, ‘God, I need to work for Citizen. I need to work for Citizen,’” she said.

Her efforts and prayers paid off, and one day Citizen TV invited people to audition for a new agricultural show.

Despite having no farming background, Ngina accepted.

The audition took place in a greenhouse, a setting that she had hitherto never been familiar with.

Soon afterwards, she received an offer from Citizen, which coincided with another offer she received to be part of Jiffy Productions, a film company associated with Lulu Hassan and Rashid Abdalla.

Ngina accepted Citizen’s offer, and she was immediately thrown into the heavyweight category.

Her first interview guest was then Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. The interview was successful, and Ngina went on to do hundreds more others.

Today, she is in her third year of presenting Kenya’s Gold, which airs on weekdays.

The job has taken her across Kenya and to other countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, and the United States

She also runs her business, which involves processing and selling coffee.

Speaking in an interview with Chams Media, the couple explained why they left their successful businesses in Virginia to start a new life in Nairobi.

They said that before relocating to Nairobi, they spent three years choosing the best destinations, and it was either Nairobi or Johannesburg.

They had already built a thriving business in Virginia, but they wanted a fresh environment where they could raise their two sons and connect with other people who shared their vision.

Collapse of their business

Relocating to Kenya is perhaps one of the riskiest moves the Oakleys have made in their lives.

Before moving to Kenya, they had run other successful businesses in the US, including a construction company that handled residential and commercial projects in Virginia.

They also spent several years coaching and developing other people.

One of their American-based businesses was generating almost $1 million in annual revenue.

When they moved to Kenya, they left the business under the management of other people, but it closed down within five months. The couple attributed the loss to poor management.

However, despite the setback, the couple set up various ventures in Kenya and said that the country had given them a sense of belonging.

“We’ve always felt like we’ve been searching for something,” Veronica said during the interview, explaining their desire to find like-minded people and build a supportive community.

Their research led them to Nairobi, which they viewed as a place with skilled people and many business opportunities.

They were also attracted to the vibrant Kenyan culture, which contrasted with how some Western media portrayed African countries.

Currently, they have established about five companies and are working with about 10 to 12 small businesses in Nairobi.

Their ventures include AI and technology, marketing, media production, and virtual assistance.

The couple also revealed that they had interviewed about 100 people since they arrived in Kenya as they looked for skilled workers and potential partners.

Moving to Nairobi

The Oakleys arrived in Kenya on November 24, 2025, with their two sons, Amari and Xavier.

According to Okino, their plane tickets cost between $3,000 and $4,000 (about ksh 389,700 – KSh 519,600). Relocating furniture and personal belongings added more expenses.

The family initially resided in different places before they finally found a three-bedroom home in Nairobi where they settled.

The home costs approximately $1,800 per month, which is about Sh232,000.

It has various amenities, such as ensuite bathrooms, a spacious kitchen, private parking, a swimming pool, a gym, a sauna, and a movie theatre.

The apartment came fully furnished, meaning that the couple did not spend extra money buying household items.

According to the couple, people who are relocating to Nairobi can find homes for about $450 (about ksh 58,000) per month depending on their needs and location.

Rebuilding their lives

The Oakleys said that they appreciate the opportunities available in Nairobi, but they acknowledged that settling has not been a walk in the park.

They said that they now work longer hours than they did in the United States as they strive to rebuild their businesses and build relationships with local partners.

One of their biggest household expenses is school fees, since they have enrolled their children in expensive schools.

They also reported paying about $21 ( about ksh 2,738) in water bills recently and about $107 (ksh 13,800) in electricity bills.

However, they believe that Nairobi will provide them with enough opportunities to rebuild their businesses, and their children will also receive the support they need.

As Nyanza’s main commercial hub, the lakeside city’s skyline features several malls, hotels, factories, restaurants, and real estate projects.

In this article, WoK features six tycoons behind some of Kisumu’s Biggest Businesses and Properties

1. The Late Sadrudin Manji Gilani & Amin Gilani

For more than four years, the Gilani name has quietly carried its financial weight in the bustling Central Business District (CBD) of Kisumu.

Led by the late Sadrudin Manji Gilani and later his son Amin Gilani, the family built one of the largest multibillion empires that the lakeside city has seen.

The family’s crown property is the iconic Sarova Imperial Hotel, located along the Jomo Kenyatta Highway.

They also own the Imperial Hotel Express, which is located along Oginga Odinga Street.

Additionally, the Gilani family own Sunblest, one of the largest industrial bakeries in the Western and Nyanza region.

2. Surendra Patel

Anyone who has ever driven into Kisumu along the Kisumu-Kakamega highway or bought a mattress anywhere in Western Kenya has probably interacted with the business empire of Surendra Patel.

The billionaire started out manufacturing everyday household and construction goods before venturing into real estate and agriculture.

Today, he owns several businesses in Kisumu, including Foam Mattresses Limited, the factory behind the Tuff Foam mattresses brand.

Patel also owns the Tuff Foam Mall, located along the Kakamega road.

He also owns several factories that manufacture steel products and plastic PVC pipes used in water supply and construction across Kisumu.

3. Dipak Panachand Shah & Mitesh Shah

Whenever retail giants like Carrefour, Naivas, or Quickmart are looking for floor space in Kisumu, the Shah family is usually their first point of contact.

In 1996, the duo founded the Mega Properties Group, a conglomerate of companies that pioneered the Mall concept in Nyanza and Western Kenya.

Today, they own the Mega Plaza, a major landmark in Kisumu’s CBD that houses offices, retail complexes, government offices, banks, supermarkets, among other businesses.

Their other landmark property is Mega City Mall, which is located near the Nyamasaria-Kondele bypass junction and is a favourite spot for international retailers entering Kisumu.

The Shah family’s business assets expand beyond Kisumu to other towns like Kakamega, Kitale, and Nairobi.

4. William McTough & James McTough

The story of how Kisumu’s hospitality sector has grown into a multibillion business empire cannot be told without mentioning the McTough brothers, William and the late James McTough.

The billionaire brothers are credited with pioneering the city’s modern nightlife and themed hotels.

One of their landmark properties is Scottish Tartan Hotel, a five-storey hotel located along the Kisumu–Busia highway.

They also own the four-star Sovereign Hotel in Milimani, which has become the go-to retreat for diplomats and VIPs.

William McTough also runs the running the Praying Mantis security firm, Octopus nightclub, and Edna’s Guest House in Awasi.

5. William Osewe Guda (“K’Osewe”)

K’Osewe’s is the classic rags-to-riches story.

From a small kiosk, he is credited with building the famous Ranalo Foods empire, which makes and serves traditional Luo delicacies like fresh tilapia and ugali to presidents, tycoons, and diplomats.

The hotel chain’s flagship lakeside branch is located on Tom Mboya Drive, in Milimani, and has been the subject of several court battles.

K’Osewe also owns the four-star Blue Waters Hotel complex, valued in court documents at up to Sh2 billion.

6. Adil Popat

Billionaire Adil Popat owns the five-star Acacia Premier Hotel, located on Achieng’ Oneko Road in Milimani.

WoK has previously identified Popat as the owner of the flagship Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi.

The Acacia property features 94 luxury rooms, rooftop lounges overlooking Lake Victoria, and presidential suites.

Popat also owns several showrooms, service centers, and real estate assets in Kisumu, which deal in selling vehicles and tractors to Western Kenya’s sugar and transport industries.

This is where Geoffrey Mwangi grew up, and where his ambitions of becoming a doctor were born.

After sitting for his KCSE in 2000, he did what many of his age mates at the time were doing. He waited.

But rather than sitting idly, he sought scholarships, writing letters to countless universities abroad seeking scholarships.

One of his letters was accepted, and Mwangi received a scholarship invitation from the University of Wisconsin in Green Bay, US.

Coincidentally, the Kenyan medical school also offered him a chance to study medicine, but he chose the aeroplane.

“I wanted to become a doctor and help people,” he told Nation. “I knew a long journey starts with the first step, which was in motion,”

In 2006, he graduated with a biology degree, and by 2010, he had completed nursing school in Wisconsin and had landed a job as a nurse at Salem Hospital.

In 2013, he completed his master’s degree and, a year later, completed his Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), both from Oregon Health and Science University.

In the US, the DNP is the highest accolade of the nursing profession, which lets nurses open their own independent practices in states such as Washington.

It allows nurses to examine, diagnose, test, and manage sudden and chronic diseases.

Armed with his credentials, Mwangi relocated to Spokane, Washington, i
4 and joined a local clinic, where he worked for more than 10 years.

The 10 years helped him identify the glaring healthcare market gap that existed in Washington.

Consequently, in July 2024, at the West Central Community Center in Spokane, he opened his own medical practice called Asante Health Clinic.

The clinic serves patients of different demographics, including children, women, and the elderly.

It also offers telehealth, nutrition support, and mental health treatment.

However, while the clinic has been successful, Mwangi said that he has had his fair share of challenges.

“If I knew then what I know now, I would have thought much more carefully before opening a clinic,” he said.

One of the main challenges he has encountered is that of managing paperwork.

According to Mwangi, credentialing and contracting with insurance companies in America can be a tedious process and can take years.

During his first year of operation, Mwangi stated that he treated patients while receiving very little compensation from insurance companies.

Some of the plans had not been resolved even during the clinic’s second year of operations.

“I hope there will be meaningful reforms to simplify the credentialing process for new healthcare providers and small practices,” he said, adding that patients from underserved communities suffer the most.

Despite these challenges, Asante Health Clinic has kept growing, serving 10 to 15 patients per day.

Each patient is assigned 30 to 60 minutes, a luxury that many American clinics cannot provide.

Many of Mwangi’s patients speak Swahili, and the shared language enables him to come up with care plans that suit his patients.

” Patients ask where I am from. I tell them Kenya. Many respond by saying, ‘We are so lucky to have you in the United States, ’ he said.

Back home, Mwangi has been running mission work in rural Kenya since 2010. Purity, his wife, who owns several adult family homes, travels with him on these missions.

His advice to medical students in Kenya is for them to keep believing in themselves and that the American Dream is real.

The academy, which is based in South Carolina, has evolved to become one of the best private football academies in the world, having trained over 1200 players and more than 50 coaches.

Kenga also belongs to a select group of very few Kenyans who have the US Soccer National A-Youth Coaching License, the highest in the USA’s youth soccer.

This is his journey as told by WoK:

Background

David Kenga was born and raised in the Kizingo area of Mombasa.

He attended the Mombasa Primary School, after which he proceeded to the Allidina Visram High School, where he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in 2000 and scored a B+.

“I grew up in Kizingo. First we used to live at GTI where we used to play soccer at Aga Khan Grounds, then we later moved to Customs and shifted our practicing base to Mbaraki and Kongoboys,” he said in an interview.

He said that his current success is as a result of the challenges he went through when growing up in Kizingo.

After sitting for his KCSE in 2000, Kenga started participating in active football. He joined Coast Stars as a player before moving to Tusker FC between 2000 and 2001.

Between 2001 and 2002, he played for Thika United before he got a scholarship to go and further his studies in the United States.

In 2003, he left Kenya for the USA and joined Winthrop University to study biochemistry. There, he played college football for three years.

In 2006, Kenga returned to Kenya and was saddened to find that many of his childhood friends and classmates had succumbed to drugs and alcoholism.

This prompted him to set up a football academy in Tezo, Kilifi County.

“Some of my colleagues were ravaged by drugs and other social vices, and I took it upon myself to see how I can start my own outreach to try and change things by donating equipment here and there to try and motivate the kids and keep them off the streets,” he said.

Academic and sports

According to Kenga, anyone who excels in sports should also strive to excel in academics, since it is also a major consideration that top teams look for when scouting for talent.

He reckoned that Kenya has a lot of sports talent, but many of them do ot want to go to school.

In his case, he stated that his parents, especially his father, who was a doctor, urged him to focus on his studies rather than just focusing on football.

His scholarship to study in the USA resulted from an encounter with former Harambee Stars defender and Gor Mahia coach Bob Oyugi, who was highly impressed with his KCSE performance.

Coach Oyugi is also credited with establishing a sports sponsorship program in 1997 that has benefited various Harambee Stars veterans like Allan Odhiambo, Paul Oyuga, Erick ‘Kantona’ Ochieng, and Vincent Kwarula.

“There are so many of us who have gone there and studied. We have Gerald Origi, Tom Odhiambo, John ‘Baresi’ Odhiambo, Simon Mulama, and now they are doing well,” said Kenga.

He added that Odipo is a professor in the US, while Baresi owns a company that makes soccer balls.

Kenga’s football academy equips children as young as two years old with football skills, training drills, and football challenges.

“My plan is to bring coaches from the USA to recruit players and make the coast a hub for player recruitment,” he said.