•Anshuur Hussein is a co-owner of Bluebird Aviation and revealed how they once successfully organised a secret mission to return the body of former Somalia ruler back home. Not even powerful government, or members of the security council knew that they had flown outside the country.

In January 1995, former Somalia ruler Siad Barre died while in exile in Lagos, Nigeria. But returning his body back home proved to be a significantly challenging task for the family.

Barre had ruled Somalia for over two decades before he was driven out of power in 1991. During his reign, there were reports of human rights abuses.

He initially fled to Kenya. However, pressure mounted from parliament and various human rights organisations made Barre’s stay to be short-lived. He eventually sought asylum in Nigeria where he stayed for four years before he succumbed to diabetes.

Two Kenyan pilots, Nigerian diplomats and a secret mission 

While Barre’s family sought the intervention of the Nigerian Air force to return the body home, the plan hit headwinds. They were told that the intended airstrip in Somalia had a small runway that couldn’t accommodate their military plane.

Given the Islamic traditions that require prompt interment, another plan had to be quickly devised and executed.

A Nigerian diplomat knocked on the door of Bluebird Aviation at Wilson Airport and informed the owners of the lucrative albeit risky deal. Captain Anshuur Hussein and Adan were told to secretly charter a flight to bring back the body – and not even government officials were supposed to know about it.

The risk was that the consequences would be dire if President Moi’s officials knew about it and it could lead to a diplomatic fallout.

“We knew immediately this wasn’t a normal charter…If the Kenyan authorities found out, it could have caused serious problems,” Anshuur told BBC.

However, the duo asked the diplomat to give them time to debate on it, promising feedback the following day. The mission was said to come with a generous financial reward, kind of a jackpot, though the exact figure remains under tight wraps.

Accepting the offer

The following day, the two pilots accepted the offer but on conditions that if anything went south, the Nigerian Government had to take responsibility. Additionally, they demanded to have two embassy officials on the flight.

On 11th January 1995, at around 3 am, the Beechcraft King Air B200 took off from Wilson Airport with the filed flight manifest indicating it was destined for Kisumu. When they got close to Kisumu, the pilots switched off the radar and took the direction to Entebbe, Uganda. Anshuur revealed that at the time, radar coverage across much of the region was limited, a gap the pilots knew they could exploit.

While in Entebbe, the two embassy officials were told not to disembark. The pilots told the airport officials that they had jetted from Kisumu and were on their way to Yaoundé. They refueled and resumed the journey. There was a brief stopover at Yaoundé before taking the route to Lagos.

Before entering the Nigerian air space, the pilots were advised by Nigerian government officials to use the Nigerian Air Force sign ‘WT 001′ to avoid any suspicion.

They arrived at 1 PM and met Barre’s family. Arrangements for a return trip were then organised and set for the following day. The following day, the casket was loaded on to the aircraft. Two Nigerian Government officials and six family members boarded the aircraft.

From the pilots’ perspective, secrecy was crucially important.

“At no point did we tell airport authorities in Cameroon, Uganda or Kenya that we were carrying a body,” Anshuur told BBC.

The aircraft retraced its route, stopping briefly in Yaoundé before flying to Entebbe, where it refuelled. While in Uganda, the authorities were deceived that the final destination was Kisumu in Kenya. However, the plane took the route to Garbaharey, southern Somalia.

The pilots attended the burial ceremony and returned back to Kenya. While at Wilson Airport, they said that they had returned from Mandera, giving the impression that it was a local flight.

“No-one asked questions, that’s when we knew we were safe,” Anshuur told BBC.

-Joan Muthui is a pharmacist who enrolled at the Lenana Institute of Beekeeping in 2024 and learnt that beeswax, the by-product that remains after extraction of honey could be used to make skincare products.

-With the help of her former lecturer, she immersed herself into deep research. Initially, her products got a thumbs down after she received feedback that it was too harsh and irritating.

*****

Joan Muthui is the brains behind Beesplash Limited, a company specialising in manufacturing organic skincare products from beeswax. From an initial disappointment to receiving daily orders, and having her products recommended by dermatologists, Joan’s journey is truly inspirational.

Here is the story as told by WoK.

Working as a pharmacist

Joan is a pharmacist and for many years, she had witnessed patients suffering from various skin ailments having to buy medications again and again. This was in the long-term expensive given the conditions took long periods to resolve.

“Anything relating to the skin is not a one-day thing. You take a drug for diarrhea and it stops (but for the) skin it is a journey – it can take a year, two years, three years. You see people becoming frustrated with unending issues,” she says.

In 2024, she enrolled for a short course at the Lenana Institute of Beekeeping and learnt that beeswax could be used to manufacture organic skincare products.

Later that year, she met her previous lecturer who was by then producing his own organic soap. The reconnection reignited Joan’s long held aspiration to take on the same path.

Receiving help from the lecturer 

Working like clockwork, they researched and  formulated lip balms, soap and moisturiser using four core ingredients: bees wax, shea butter, honey and essential oils.

She used the Mount Kenya University Thika campus laboratory for a sterile and controlled production. She then tested the initial products on her sisters and pharmacy colleagues.

She received negative feedback that the product was too harsh and irritating. With unbridled determination, she reached out to the lecturer and they worked on improving their formulation. They got it right the second time.

Licencing and commercialisation

Prior to commercialisation, she needed approvals from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board. It was a long wait but luckily she wasn’t extorted. Finally, she was able to secure the licences.

Rotary fair and having her products prescribed 

In January 2025, Joan went for a rotary fair and paid for a stand. By the end of the day, her moisturisers had earned her a cool Ksh 9600.

“What? You mean it’s working?” She recalls thinking. “I have never looked back,” she says.

One day while working in the pharmacy, she received a pregnant woman who couldn’t afford the moisturiser she needed. Joan took the opportunity to offer her product as an alternative. She asked the woman to return if it did not work.

It was good news that the patient returned confirming that the body butter had stopped the itchiness that had troubled her. She then approached various gynecologists recommending the moisturiser as something that could work for expectant mothers with skin irritation. This saw at least two dermatologists prescribe the product.

“Seeing my product on a prescription from a dermatologist made me feel so good. That is when I knew this was real,” she says.

Making more sales

Though she currently doesn’t have any export structures, she has seen her products land in South Africa, United Kingdom and United States through international rotary delegates.

Currently she manages to make at least three to five units sales a day to 30-50 units on a good day.

Starting out by supplying diesel door-to-door to businesses dealing with Kinshasa’s erratic power grid, Duncan has scaled the business into a massive operation. Jambo Energy now employs over 70 people and manages fuel storage capacity of 1.4 million litres across the impressive portfolio of customers.

And the future is promising; he is actively expanding his fleet of trucks and river barges to dominate the Congo River transport corridor.

In this exclusive sit-down with WoK, Duncan opens up about his journey from a corporate employee to a sole proprietor, how he navigates the challenges of the Congolese market, and why he believes the youth should focus on mastering their craft rather than chasing quick money.

Hello Duncan, thank you for granting us this opportunity. To begin with, kindly introduce yourself and what you do.

My name is Duncan Mitunda Mogire.  I am currently the CEO and founder of Jambo Energy SARL, based in Kinshasa but we have another office in Lubumbashi. We specialize in wholesaling of petroleum products in the DRC.

Are you able to shed some light about your background? 

I was born in the year 1985 in Kisii. I went to Primary School in Nairobi and later Joined Kisii School for secondary education where I served as the school captain. I am a graduate from the University of Nairobi and Frankfurt School of Management. For my undergraduate I studied Bachelor of Commerce and for my Executive MBA I studied Finance and Management.

Many Kenyans may be afraid of venturing into DRC. When was your first time travelling there and how did you get to know of the opportunity? Was it easy settling down?

DRC is a big market and the Kenyan business community should not be afraid to explore the available opportunities. DRC is now in the EAC. What many people don’t know is that DRC has 3 different time zones and as such we can classify DRC to be in different regions of Africa within the same country; Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and Western Africa. Most of the war and instability is in the conflict mineral areas of DRC i.e North Kivu and South Kivu.

Though I have worked in the oil industry since 2009, I first came to DRC in 2015 through Dalbit Group. Initially,  I experienced cultural shocks and language barrier but with time you get used to the broken Swahili plus Lingala is easy to learn being a Bantu language. In Dalbit Group, I was appointed to head the sales and marketing department at their Lubumbashi branch located in the Southern part. I was tasked primarily to open up fuel sales to the mining companies around the Copper Belt region in Lubumbashi. I quit in 2023 to start Jambo Energy in Kinshasa.

Talking about Jambo Energy, how did you start off?

I started Jambo Energy in 2023 in Kinshasa after quitting employment. We started off by distributing fuel using mobile bowsers to supermarkets and residential houses and offices. Kinshasa has an erratic electricity supply hence all buildings and establishments run on diesel generators.We saw the gap and took advantage and we provided our customers with diesel in a very organised and  professional way.

I am sure a lot of Kenyans would want to know about how you got the capital and how much was it if you don’t mind sharing?

I will say that necessity is the mother of invention. I started small with my own savings and over time developed good relationships with our suppliers and the banks. It is difficult to scale up your business without support from either your supplier or the bank.

Do you have other partners?

I am the sole proprietor. I don’t like partnerships because they might slow your growth especially when you are starting from the bottom.

What were the requirements you had to have before inception of your business considering you are from Kenya?

Business registration process in DRC is quite straight forward and it takes less than 5 days if you have all the documents. The main document being the establishment visa.

Do you then mean starting a business in DRC is quite easier than in Kenya? On this, do you think Kenya has something to learn from DRC?

Starting a business in DRC is pretty simpler compared to Kenya due to less bureaucracies – the documentation required and the time to have the company opened.I think Kenya being an economic power house should streamline this process.

A lot of businesses face tough hurdles in the first couple of months or years. What challenges did you face and how did you manage?

Of course all businesses face challenges initially especially on working capital. I personally faced working capital challenges but over time I addressed that by developing good relationship with banks and suppliers. Another challenge is competition – once we succeeded in the venture of door to door delivery to businesses and households, we attracted more competition in the segment leading to reduced opportunities due to scrambling and price wars. Eventually we had to scale up and move to another way of doing the business.

What are your achievements and how many people have you employed?

We employ more than 70 people. At the moment we have scaled up our operations and we have over 20 active customers spread across all segments of the economy. Our value driver is the unique way in which we solve the client needs by installing tanks and pumps at their sites. This has enabled us sign exclusive supply contracts with all our customers. In total we are having approximately 1,450,000 litres in terms of storage across all our customers.

We also have our logistics arm that transports bulk fuel between the port of Matadi and Kinshasa. We are recognised as a major player in the logistics of bulk fuel owing to the impressive fleet we operate.We emphasize on professionalism hence we are a force to reckon with.

We have another arm of our business that does logistics of fuel through the river channel of Congo River. We transport bulk fuel using barges to our customers along the channel.

We also do fabrication of storage tanks which we distribute to our customers sites for storage of products. In some sites like the biggest agricultural enterprise in the whole DRC which deals with palm oil planting and production, we offer both tank farm management and consignment stocking.

Earlier on you talked about being a school captain, do you think the leadership experience you had has helped you in management? And how would you describe your style of management?

My stint in leadership in both high school and university have been crucial especially when you need to stay firm, disciplined and focused amid chaos.

My management styles is anchored on result-oriented management. For a team to achieve specific results for the company, they have to be aware forehand and should at least have the required skills to achieve a given task in whichever department. I give opportunities to all employees to showcase their skills freely provided they are focused on the company goals and targets.

How is your typical day like?

I start my day at 6 am in the office to review all the reports from different departments. I have different face to face meetings on different days of the week.

Most of the day is spent outside the office meeting clients in the field and visiting our yard and garage. I am not an office kind of person.

What is one thing you’re grateful for?

I am always grateful for the opportunity granted to me by my previous employers because without them I would not have known this part of DRC let alone learning how the global fuel market operates. The experience has enabled me navigate smoothly in my entrepreneurship journey.

What is your word of encouragement to young people who would wish to become entrepreneurs? What are the important attributes that they should have?

Entrepreneurship is not an easy journey if you lack resilience, discipline and focus. Young people should venture into businesses that they really have in-depth understanding about. Many youths get into business with an aim of making quick money or they venture into businesses that are perceived to make quick money but I say – master your art and money will flow.

What is the future of Jambo?

In the short term, we plan to consolidate our wins within DRC by nurturing a formidable team that will enable us move to the next level of the business which is bulk importation of fuel through the main supply corridors i.e Matadi port, Beira Port and Dar Es Salaam. We further plan to beef up our fleet with more trucks for long hauling of bulk product. In a few years we should dominate the logistics space. As per the river channel logistic by barges, we will in mid 2027 acquire a barge of a capacity of 1,000,000 Litres and this will stamp our authority as the King of River Congo for transport of bulk fuel. Southern DRC remains a strategic market for us as we seek to take up more volume from the mining companies in the copper belt region.

I was born in February 2000, the fourth child in a family of six, raised by a single mother whose strength far exceeded her circumstances. Poverty was not an interruption in our lives; it was the atmosphere we breathed. We moved often, shifting from one primary school to another, ranging from Kaharati Primary School to, Wamahiga, Maragua, and eventually Swani, carrying little more than hope each time.

Despite the instability, I was a bright child. I topped my classes. Teachers believed in me. I believed in myself. Then in 2011, when I was in Class Six, life shifted in unprecedented circumstances of domestic violence. Our family relocated to Juja after a family and financial collapse. We moved with no furniture, no utensils, no certainty. My mother had no job. My sister dropped out of school. Soon after, I did too. We were all school dropout.

The year 2011 and 2012, I was no longer a pupil. I was a street boy. There is a quiet humiliation in watching children your age going to school while you wander in search of food. Survival became my curriculum. The year blurred into hunger, uncertainty, and frustration. I had always dreamt of academic excellence, but dreams do not survive long without opportunity.

In 2013, we relocated again, this time to Kihiu Mwiri in Gatanga. We rented a small house for KSh 300 a month. My mother worked on farms earning about KSh 200 to 300 a day. One evening she told me, gently but honestly, “Alex, I want you to go back to school. Finish Class Eight. Maybe with a KCPE and the KCPE leaving certificate one day, you can get work as a watchman in Delmonte Company.”

That advise reshaped my expectations of life. I returned to Swani Primary School not dreaming of university, but of employment as a watchman. Often without food. Hunger humbles ambition, but it also sharpens it.

In 2014, I scored 297 marks in KCPE, higher than I had imagined possible. Yet secondary school remained financially out of reach. I began working in the quarries, crushing stones for KSh 7 per bucket. Ten buckets earned Ksh. 70. That money bought dinner.

Then came another setback. A rule banned anyone under 18 from quarry work. I was 15. Even hardship seemed to have age restrictions.  Around that time, I met a man who would quietly change the course of my life, Mr. Ken Stephen Muchoki. I gathered courage and told him about my KCPE score and my desire to attend secondary school. He asked for an admission form. I could not afford it.

A week later, he sent for me. He had already secured the form. The following day, he bought me a uniform and escorted me to Swani Secondary School. I joined four weeks to the end of term one.

In my first exams, I ranked first. That moment taught me something I would only understand years later: your destiny is never tied to people who leave your life; it is tied to those who stay.

In 2016, my mother left to seek better opportunities and started living in Kiandutu slums. Then on April 23rd, 2018, she passed away. I was in Form Four.

Grief does not announce itself gently. It arrives and sits heavily on your chest while life continues moving. Extended family distanced themselves. My siblings and I faced the reality of burial arrangements alone. The Kihiu Mwiri community stepped in and allowed us to bury my mother in their cemetery.

I became a parent of my younger siblings before I became an adult. Yet that year, I sat for my KCSE examination and scored a C+. It was not a headline grade, but it was enough. Enough for direct university entry. Enough to prove that pain does not cancel potential.

I joined the University of Embu to pursue a Bachelor of Education (Arts), specialising in Business Studies and Christian Religious Education. University life carried its own struggles, financial strain, responsibility toward my younger sibling, uncertainty about the future, but I held onto one principle: Always postpone giving up. Not cancel it. Postpone it. One more semester. One more assignment. One more exam. I volunteered in neighbouring schools to earn small stipends. I developed skills in teaching, communication, leadership, and mentorship.

On September 15^th, 2023, I graduated with Second Class Honours (Upper Division). Looking back, I began to understand something profound: life is understood backwards, but it must be believed forward.

The quarry did not make sense then. It makes sense now.

Street experience did not make sense then; it makes sense now.
The hunger did not make sense then. It makes sense now.
The abandonment did not make sense then. It makes sense now.

After graduation, I chose not only to pursue employment but to build opportunity in entrepreneurship. At 25, I have founded Lebanon Technical Training College in Embu County, Kiritiri Town Alpha Plaza 2^nd Floor.

The Institution is accredited by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA/TRN/2799), authorising us to offer professional and corporate training programs in leadership, governance, project management, financial management, grant management, monitoring and evaluation (MEAL), corporate governance, executive assistant training, data protection compliance, public speaking, business communication, child protection, disability mainstreaming, and other continuous professional development courses.

We provide corporate training, executive programs, and continuous professional development for organisations, NGOs, SACCOs, faith-based institutions, and professionals seeking growth.

The same boy who once crushed stones now builds skills. If my journey has taught me anything, it is this:

Dare to dream big.
Your background is not a place of residence it is a place of reference.

Never ignore an idea, not all of them return.
Always trust in God.

Never lose hope.
And your future is rarely decided by your worst season.

I understand my life better now than I did while living it. But even today, I must continue believing forward. Lebanon Technical Training College now invites corporates and professionals to partner with us for in-house training and continuous professional development programs. We believe skills transform lives and are committed to train competent professionals.

My story is not about escaping poverty. It is about building purpose from pain. If a street child can become a CEO at 25, then the limits we fear may not be limits at all. The story is still being written.

Most Kenyans think their credit limit is decided by a computer in a cold room. But behind every code is a policy, and behind every policy is a person. In the high-stakes world of digital lending, these are the women who hold the keys to the financial “health” of millions.

Here are the three women who decide your M-Shwari and Fuliza limit as compiled by WoK.

The “Queen of M-Pesa”: Esther Masese Waititu

At Safaricom, Esther Masese Waititu isn’t just an executive; she is the Chief Financial Services Officer. Think of her as the “gatekeeper” of the M-PESA SuperApp.

Esther didn’t just land here. She’s a “heavyweight” who has seen the inside of KCB, Standard Chartered, and even the original CBA (now NCBA).

While Safaricom wants to “transform lives,” Esther’s job is to make sure that transformation doesn’t turn into a mountain of bad debt. When the “tap” on credit suddenly tightens nationwide, it’s usually because her department is recalibrating the risk. She is the bridge between your Sh200 airtime loan and the multi-billion shilling Safaricom balance sheet.

The “Risk Guardian”: Ms. Pauline Ndote (NCBA Group)

Safaricom is the “face” you see on your phone, but NCBA is the actual bank—the “vault” where the money lives. As the Group Director for Credit Risk Management, Ms. Pauline Ndote is likely the most powerful person in your pocket that you’ve never heard of.

She handles the “Remedial Management”—which is corporate-speak for what happens when you don’t pay back.

If the system decides to “CRB-list” you or freeze your account, it’s following the risk frameworks her team built. She has the impossible task of ensuring NCBA stays profitable while millions of “hustlers” are borrowing Sh500 at a time to keep their businesses afloat.

The Digital Architect: Karen N. Kantai (LOOP DFS)

If you’ve switched to LOOP (NCBA’s digital bank), your “Iron Lady” is Karen Kantai, the Chief Risk Officer at LOOP DFS.

Karen is the one who took the “M-Shwari model” and made it smarter. Her claim to fame? She’s significantly dropped the number of people defaulting on loans while keeping the credit flowing. She’s the person making sure the “new era” of digital banking doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the old one.

He may have rested, but the manufacturing community will live to cherish his legacy. It’s an achievement that’s unmatched as he steered Pwani Oil from the manufacture of coconut oil to become a firm that makes virtually every household consumables.

Pwani Oil released the statement on Malde’s death on 29th October extolling the deceased as one who played an instrumental role in the establishment of Pwani Oil.

“It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of our esteemed founder, Mr. Naresh Malde,” the statement read.

“This loss is deeply felt throughout our organization, as Mr. Naresh played an instrumental role in the establishment and growth of Pwani Oil Products,” reads the statement.

Former Tourism CS Najib Balala sent his message of condolence saying Malde helped with the growth of Pwani Oil into manufacturing the most trusted homegrown brands.

“(I am) Deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Naresh Malde, the founder of Pwani Oil. His vision, hard work, and commitment to local enterprise transformed Pwani Life into one of Kenya’s most trusted homegrown brands.”

“My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the entire Pwani Oil fraternity. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of entrepreneurs along our Coast and beyond,” said Balala.

Pwani Oil

Pwani Oil Group is a consumer goods company with its headquarters based in Mombasa, Kenya. It was established in 1981. Initially, it only manufactured coconut oil.

It was started by three Malde brothers: Ramesh Kanji Malde together with Anil and Naresh Malde.

In 1985, the company metamorphosed into palm oil refining and gained the name Pwani Oil Group Company.

Currently, the company mainly specializes in the production of cooking oils under the brand names Fresh Fri, Fresh Fri Garlic, Fresh Fri Ginger, Salit cooking oil, Salit vegetable oil, Popco cooking oil, Mpishi poa and Fry Mate.

The family owned business also produces a wide range of skincare, bathing and antibacterial products under the brand names Detrex Germ Protection soap, Detrex sanitizers, Diva antibacterial beauty soap, Diva Glycerine, Sawa Family shop and Sawa Liquid hand wash. Other products from the company are Ushindi, White Wash, White Wash Extra, Popco Bar Soap, Ndume Bar Soap and Rainbow washing powder.

Read more: The Malde Brothers: Meet The Family Behind Pwani Oil Group Limited

Speaking in an interview on the Financially Incorrect podcast, Soleil stated that Akili Kids was born from a clear and pressing need. “Our purpose started in being Kenya’s first educational entertainment resource for children across the country,” he said.

He and his partner, Jeff Schon, began exploring the concept back in 2012, driven by the conviction that nearly 50% of Kenya’s population under the age of 18 deserved an education system that aligned with their evolving needs.

Launching Akili Kids

The path to launching Akili Kids began with a lengthy and difficult fundraising process between 2015 and 2019. The partners’ initial goal was to raise $5 million, a sum that would have provided a 24/7 programming schedule for a full year as well as some breathing room.

However, they ended up raising about $2 million, which meant making concessions and cutting some corners.

One of the biggest lessons the founders learned was about approaching the right investors. “You don’t go to a tech investor in the San Francisco Bay area when you’re looking for funds to launch a television channel in Africa,” he advised.

He found that traditional tech investors often didn’t care about the opportunity, no matter how great the need. The breakthrough came from connecting with impact investors, people who saw the positive impact that Akili Kids TV would have on the community and the potential returns of the business.

Akili Kids TV was finally launched on March 31, 2020. The launch was a race against time, happening just three weeks after Kenya’s borders shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their engineer from Bulgaria left the country the night the borders closed.

The station launched with only six hours of programming on repeat, but the pandemic turned out to be a blessing in disguise. With everyone at home, Akili Kids got millions of viewers.

Within five months, they were boasting a weekly audience of 5.4 million child viewers and 4.3 million adult viewers.

According to Soleil, the five years since launching the business have been a constant cycle of “doing great work and fundraising every single day.”

The Uphill Battle of Building a Business

Akili Kids’ success in a disrupted media landscape comes from a lean and focused business model.

One of their most pressing expense is that of producing quality content. “The cost of producing an original episode at the level of quality that you see on Western TV networks can range from $400 000 to $500,000 per episode, while acquiring the rights to air an already produced episode costs about $ 1,200,” he said.

Their sole focus is the TV channel and its digital counterpart. 50% of their revenue comes from commercial advertisers, 40% from non-commercial sources like grants and underwriting, and 10% from live events.

Operating with a team of 40 people out of a co-working space, they have managed expenses meticulously from day one. While some parents complain about repeated programs, Soleil notes that “kids don’t care,” and it allows them to invest in family co-viewing content that attracts advertisers.

The choice to prioritize terrestrial TV was strategic. When they launched, only 10% of Kenyans had regular data access (now around 20%). For the majority of children, traditional television remains the most accessible medium.

Personal Sacrifices

Soleil’s success has come with immense personal sacrifice. He took a 50% pay cut from his previous job, a decision that required his wife to work more and their family to adjust their standard of living.

To justify his decision, Soleil argued that “You can make a whole lot of money and invest it in somebody else, or you can make a little less and invest in yourself and maybe the return will be greater, and that’s my bet right now.”

Beyond the financial hit, there was the cost of time. For the past five years, he has split his life between the U.S. and Kenya. “While I am often troubled by the prospect of not spending enough time with my children in their formative years, at least I spend them with my 23 million kids who watch Akili kids TV in Kenya,” said the father of three.

He describes himself as a “financial Buddhist,” believing he is the one responsible for making his finances better. He invests in himself, his family, and his company.

His core advice is to stay out of debt and buy quality. “Don’t settle for temporary solutions. Instead, buy things that are actually worth it and that you can have for the next 20 years,” he said.

Although Mandela had a degree in economics and worked as a banker, he eventually found success in the food business, showing that career paths can take unexpected turns.

Born in 1958 in Kampala, Uganda, Hajji Omar Mandela attended Makerere University, where he graduated with a degree in economics. He then pursued a career in his field and spent several years working as a banker after graduating. However, he had a strong inclination to entrepreneurship, leading him to leave the banking job.

In 1983, he took a bold step and established the Mandela Group of Companies, starting with a hardware store, which later expanded into tyre trading, car oils, and fuel stations. It was during this time that he discovered an untapped opportunity—providing food for his fuel station customers.

This marked his entry into the food service industry, prompting him to also establish a milling company to supply raw materials for the most popular cuisines at his restaurants.

This would then set the stage for a business empire that would later change the restaurant landscape in East Africa.

Omar launched Café Javas (CJs) under the Mandela Group of Companies, with an aim of improving hotel and restaurant operations in Uganda. The flagship restaurant was strategically located next to a City Oil petrol station, to provide a high-quality yet affordable dining experience to motorists, corporate workers, and middle-class customers frequenting the station.

The idea worked well, leading to the steady growth of Café Javas across Uganda. Today, it has nine branches—eight in Kampala and one in Entebbe. The restaurant became popular for its large portions, delicious food, and great service, drawing in both locals and visitors.

Following the success in Uganda, Mandela decided to expand his venture across borders with Kenya as his first destination.

However, breaking into the Kenyan market came with challenges as shortly after announcing plans to open in Nairobi, a court injunction blocked their entry.

The legal dispute was filed by Kenyan restaurant Java House, arguing that the name Café Javas would violate its trademark. As a result, Mandela had to rebrand the restaurant to CJ’s Restaurant before officially launching its first branch in Nairobi in April 2018.

Located at Koinange Street in Nairobi’s CBD, the urban eatery introduced a fresh, high-quality, and affordable dining experience that reshaped the Kenyan restaurant industry. The restaurant quickly gained popularity, becoming a go-to spot for professionals, families, and food enthusiasts.

Now with five locations, including the CBD branch, CJ’s offers an extensive menu of over 300 carefully curated dishes. Its other branches are located in Kilimani, The Waterfront Mall in Karen, Village Market, and Imaara Mall.

Beyond hospitality, Omar Mandela has built a business empire spanning multiple industries:

•Mandela Millers – A milling company supplying wheat and maize products for his restaurants.

•City Tyres – Uganda’s largest tyre manufacturing company.

•City Oil – A fuel and lubricants company with eight ultra-modern filling stations in Kampala.

•Mandela Auto Spares – The leading distributor of authentic automobile spare parts in Uganda.

•City World – A distributor of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sourced from top global brands.

With over 5,000 employees across different businesses, the Mandela Group of Companies is one of Uganda’s largest private sector employers and a key player in the region’s economy.

Aside from business, Omar Mandela is also a respected sports figure. In November 2021, he was elected President of Sports Club Villa (SC Villa), one of Uganda’s most successful football clubs.

The entrepreneur’s shift from banking to business is a testament to the power of limitless ambition. From owing a hardware to fuel station cafés and eventually the mega CJ’s restaurant chain, his keen eye for market gaps has transformed the food service industry in Kenya and beyond.

Early Life

Born and raised in Kenya, Njonjo exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. In high school, he started his first business by restructuring the sale of bread to fellow students. He would purchase all the bread from the school canteen and resell it directly to students in their dormitories for a small service fee, showcasing his talent for identifying and solving market inefficiencies.

Education

The businessman pursued higher education at the United States International University(USIU) in Kenya, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business Administration.

He advanced his education with a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management and completed an Executive Leadership Program at the prestigious Harvard Business School.

He is also a Certified Public Accountant, underscoring his strong foundation in finance and management.

Career

Njonjo joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1998 as an accountant and swiftly rose to lead its East Africa business, overseeing six countries, including Kenya. He managed over $1 billion (Kshs 129.2 billion) in investments and restructured the region’s distribution network.

Njonjo also led bottling mergers and acquisitions across the region and was part of the global team that established Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, the continent’s largest Coca-Cola bottler.

Njonjo’s tenure at Coca-Cola peaked with his appointment as President of the West and Central Africa Business Unit, where he oversaw operations in 33 countries.

In this role, he spearheaded major initiatives, including the $550 million (Kshs 71 billion) acquisition of Chi Beverages Nigeria.

Twiga Foods

In 2014, recognizing the challenges in Africa’s agricultural supply chains, Njonjo co-founded Twiga Foods with his business partner Grant Brooke.

Twiga Foods was a groundbreaking venture, founded to streamline produce distribution by leveraging a technology-driven B2B platform. It connects farmers directly with vendors, minimizing post-harvest losses and ensuring fair pricing.

Under his leadership, Twiga Foods expanded its network to include over 4,000 farmers and more than 35,000 vendors across Kenya.

In 2019, Njonjo left Coca-Cola to become Twiga Foods’ CEO, dedicating himself to expanding the startup. His leadership attracted major investments and partnerships, cementing Twiga’s role in Africa’s agribusiness sector.

In 2022, Twiga Foods became the first company to secure funding from the Hustler Fund, receiving Kshs 300 million to scale farmer mobilization, enhance capacity building, and develop local infrastructure.

However, in 2024, Njonjo stepped down as CEO, choosing to transition from chief executive to shareholder. He stated that this move would enable Twiga Foods to pursue its next growth phase following a successful fundraising, in which he was also a top investor.

Controversial Divorce

In February 2025, reports emerged that the prominent businessman and his wife, Tina, a lawyer and former head of legal at Safaricom, were headed for divorce.

The proceedings have become contentious, with Tina’s friend and city lawyer Donald Kipkorir, accusing former Director of Public Prosecutions Philip Murgor, who represents Njonjo, of unethical conduct.

Kipkorir alleges that Murgor compelled Njonjo to swear a false affidavit claiming that Kipkorir attempted to influence the trial magistrate overseeing the divorce case.

Kipkorir has taken legal action against Murgor and Njonjo over their handling of Njonjo’s divorce case. Kipkorir wants Murgor struck off the Roll of Advocates for alleged unethical conduct and Njonjo barred from holding any directorship or employment in any company.

In a public statement, Kipkorir accused Murgor of a “dangerous obsession” and demanded an injunction to stop him from what he calls stalking.

The couple has four children aged between 6 and 17.

Despite the high-profile legal battle and personal drama surrounding his divorce, Njonjo remains one of Kenya’s most revered businessmen. He is recognized as a visionary leader in transforming Africa’s food systems and driving the continent’s economic development.

Dossa recently stepped down from active management, concluding a 20-year tenure at the helm of the bus company, citing health challenges and age as his reasons for exiting.

He emphasized that he would remain closely connected to Easy Coach, continuing to provide guidance and support to the company.

The mogul, who initially lived and worked in Canada, always envisioned starting his own long-distance transportation business back home. Despite being in his 50s and having limited industry knowledge, he was determined to take the risk, even amid family opposition.

“Running a company is one thing. Starting from scratch is something else. When I was 52 and living in Canada, I told my boys I would return to Kenya to start my business. They discouraged me,” he stated.

He returned to Kenya in the 1980s and took on a contractual role as Chief Financial Officer at the collapsed Akamba Bus Company. What began as a two-year contract evolved into a 17-year tenure, during which he gained invaluable insights and lessons that would later be pivotal in launching his own transportation venture.

In 2003, Dossa and a few of his friends started the Easy Coach company. Passionate about the transport industry, especially long-distance travel, he applied his experience from his former job where he revised fares and handled financial complaints.

Easy Coach launched with seven buses operating between Nairobi and Kisumu. The fleet soon grew with the addition of four more buses. As the company stabilized, they began purchasing 12 buses annually for three years, eventually doubling to 24 buses per year during the pre-high season.

As managing director of Easy Coach, Dossa revolutionized the transportation sector by prioritizing customer satisfaction over immediate profits. He introduced innovations such as waiting lounges with washrooms, which was rare at the time.

Additionally, he ensured buses did not stop along the way to pick up passengers, enhancing both security and the overall travel experience.

As a father of two sons, one might assume they would naturally take over after his retirement. However, this is not the case, as both are in the medical field and continue to reside in Canada.

“One of my sons is a massage therapist living and practicing in Canada, while my younger son is a chiropractor also practicing there. They both attended university in Canada after completing their O-levels at Peponi and Hillcrest schools,” he shared, noting that he occasionally travels to visit them and other family members.

He remains unconcerned about succession politics, trusting in the capabilities of his staff, who are well-versed in his operations and have been instrumental in building the company into a solid and respected brand.

“We have 900 employees across the country. I have thought of succession and what happens next, it is good to have proper CEOs and general managers who are doing it the way you would do it in your presence,” he noted.

Following his retirement, Technical Director Zulfiqar Adatia was appointed Managing Director to ensure continuity. Meanwhile, the company has begun searching for what Dossa described as a “young and dynamic CEO” to steer the bus company to new heights.