By Isaac Blessings
Zetech University is a popular private university not only in Kenya but the entire East African region. The university which admits both self-sponsored and government sponsored students has grown to admit over 10,000 students enrolled under different courses. However little is known about the man behind this successful institution.
In this article, WoK brings you the story of the Founder of Zetech University – Engineer Ken Mbiuki.
Engineer Ken Mbiuki’s journey
Engineer Ken Mbiuki was born and raised in Meru County where he spent the better part of his childhood and teenage life. After completing his high school education, he came to Nairobi to pursue a Degree in Mechanical engineering at the University of Nairobi.
It was while at the University in 1997 when he saw an opportunity of teaching his fellow students IT and computing skills which he had taught himself through his personal computer.
At that time, not many institutions offered IT related courses and the demand was high especially from campus students who desired to learn the skill.
He started the IT lessons at the hostel he used to live in and within a short period of time the number of enrolled students rapidly grew.
In 1998, he was forced to move the classes to the Students Center within the university where he would handle up to 300 students and make around Ksh200,000 every month at 22 years only. He then registered the business as Zenith Technology.
The Making of Zetech College
In 1999 he rebranded from Zenith Technology to Zetech College with the aim of attracting not only university students but the public at large.
He moved to Summit House along Moi Avenue where he would pay Ksh 15,000 as monthly rent. At that time the number of enrolled students had grown up to about 500 students.
Within the next two years from 2000 to 2004 the student’s number hit 1,500 prompting him to relocate to a larger space at Church House just next to the Railways Bus terminus.
In 2006, he opened a new branch in Westlands and partnered with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) whereby his students would graduate with a degree from the university.
During this period he expanded and employed other lecturers who not only offered IT related courses but business, hospitality, community development and mass communication courses.
The college became famous with hundreds of students applying and enrolling for their courses and the 46 year old knew that it was time to grow.
From College to University
As the numbers continued to rise, Mbiuki knew he had the potential of reaching the required numbers of university students.
What was giving him a headache was the funds to build the right premises and structures to reach the standards of a university. Pushed with his passion and enthusiasm, he one day in 2011 walked into Barclays bank (now ABSA Bank) and managed to convince them to give him a loan of Ksh 160 million which he used to build the Ruiru-based main campus.
In 2018, the college was converted into a full university after receiving a Letter of Interim Authority from the Ministry of Education. Currently Zetech University has over 10,000 students and 500 employed workers.
Other Ambitions
Aside from investing in the education sector, Engineer Ken Mbiuki has investments in other fields. He runs two companies – Finken Holdings Limited and Suntech Power Limited.
Finken is mainly involved in food processing, building and construction and agrochemicals while Suntech mainly deals with renewable energy.
The Industrial-area based companies have been quite successful having big clients such as Sarova Hotels, Safaricom and Rural Electrification Authority (REA).
