- George Kinyanjui is the owner of Climax Buses that ply the Western Kenya routes
- He started out as a mechanic before venturing into the world of buses
His journey has been an interesting one. George Kinyanjui Ng’ang’a, popularly known as Mengo, started as mechanic in Matunda town where he was also born.
According to Jerome Ogola, the trained mechanic went on to open an auto-spare shop in the same town.
It was not until the 90s that he ventured into the highly competitive matatu business. In the Facebook post shared by Ogola, the businessman’s first matatu was a white Peugeot 504 bearing the registration number KAJ.
Ronaldo, as the matatu was christened, had a conductor known as Sauti Mbaya and a second one known as General Defao.
“His first matatu a KAJ, white Peugeot 504, christened Ronaldo, came in the late 1990s. I remember the conductor was guy called Sauti Mbaya (RIP), followed by another one known as General Defao, this one was light blue in colour”, Ogola’s Post read in part.
First Matatu Plying Eldoret-Kitale Route
The popular Facebook user went on to add that George Kinyanjui was the first person from the area to buy a Toyota Hiace ‘Shark’ plying the Eldoret-Kitale route.
Matatu went by the name Tisho, then followed by Kipembe, Komesha and Covenant-in that order.
The story goes that he closed his transport business after the 2008 post elections violence without notifying anyone.
“Drivers who woke up to take the vehicles were shocked to learn that the owner had other ideas”, Ogola wrote.
Climax Buses
The businessman reportedly sold all his matatus and opened a supermarket in Matunda. He went on to venture into the transport business by founding Climax Buses.
The climax has now over 100 buses plying most of the Western Kenya routes.