JM Kariuki quipped-‘Kenya is a country of 10 millionaires and 10 millions beggars’- to illustrate how those in leadership were acquiring wealth unhindered while the majority wallowed in poverty. Kenya founding father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was on an acquisition spree that would elevate him to one-if not-the richest man in Kenya. The famed Kiambu mafia and his close family members were also enjoying the fruits of freedom by acquiring large tracts of land.
Deriding Bildad Kaggia for his stand on wanton corruption in his regime, Kenyatta remarked during a meeting in 1965:
We were together with Paul Ngei in jail….If you go to Ngei’s village, he has planted a lot of coffee and other crops. What have you done for yourself? If you go to Kubai’s home, he has a big house and a nice shamba. Kaggia, what have you done for yourself? We were together with Kungu Karumba in jail, now he is running his own buses. What have you done for yourself?
Joe Khamisi book ‘Looters and Grabbers’ paint a gloomy picture of a prime minister whose greed was unmatched. The bug of corner corner dealings goes on to infect his family, his ministers and civil servants.
From mid 60s to 70s, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta had sowed the seeds of corruption which were flourishing when his successor President Daniel arap Moi took to the realms of power. It was the same script-albeit with different characters-in Moi’s regime.
To justify the greed that had permeated his administration, Kenyatta was quoted as saying:
Some want to tell to tell us that Kenya belongs to all the people. Granted, I know that much. But I have a question to ask: when we were shedding blood, some languishing in prison and some suffering in forests, fighting for uhuru, where were the bloody others?…..if you want honey, bear the sting of the bee….
His scion, current President Uhuru Kenyatta, has appeared on Forbes top 40 richest list due to his family vast wealth.
The Kenyatta family, under the tutelage of Mama Ngina, has gone to acquire even more wealth over the years. Here are just some of the properties and businesses owned by the Kenyatta family.
Land
Most of the land owned by the Kenyatta family was meant to benefit those who had lost their land to British colonizers and Arabs. Kenyatta’s wife, Mama Ngina, penchant for land is well documented. she would scout for prime land which they would acquire for a song. A report by the Central intelligence Agency (CIA) confirmed that indeed the Kenyatta’s were the single largest land owners in Kenya. By 1978, Ngina had acquired over 115,000 acres of prime land.
This explosive Ndungu report list is not exhaustive
50,000 acres-Gatundu
24,000 acres-Taveta
50,000 acres-Taita
10,000 acres-Naivasha
52,000 acres-Nakuru
10,000-Rumuruti
40,000-Endebess in Rift Valley
9,000 acres, Kasarani- Mwiki
5,000 acres, Thika
10,000 acres Gichea Farm, Gatundu
5,000 acres, Muthaita Farm
The total land of the Kenyatta’s is estimated to be over 500,000 acres.
Brookside Dairies Limited
The Kenyatta family owned Brookside Dairies is the largest milk processing company in the country with a staggering 45 percent market share. Read (Shareholders of Brookside). The company produces powdered and fresh milk, yoghurt and butter.
Chartis Insurance
Peponi School
Ranks among the most expensive private schools in the country. Peponi House School sits at the expansive 10,000 acres Gicheha farm in Ruiru owned by the Kenyatta family. Here is Peponi’s Fee Structure.
The viewership of Media Max K24 TV and Kameme TV still lags behind as compared to the big players-Nation TV, KTN and Citizen TV. Other stations under MediaMax are-Milele FM, Kameme FM, Meru FM, Pili Pili FM and Mayan FM. Reports appearing on a leading blog claimed Deputy President William Ruto had bought substantial stake in the company. A Kalenjin radio station (Emo FM) and TV station are said to be in the works thanks to Ruto’s entry.
Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA)
CBA became popular when they introduced Mshwari loan-that allowed Mpesa customers to save and borrow money through their mobile phones. The bank has 33 branches in Kenya, 11 in Tanzania, 2 in Uganda with plans to expand in Burundi and South Sudan. The Kenyatta’s extended their tentacles to Uganda after acquiring Crane Bank Rwanda from DFCU Bank.
Timsales Holdings
Enke Investment Limited (25% of CBA)
Heritage Hotels
Great Rift Valley Lodge, Naivasha
Voyageur Beach Resort
Tented Camps
Mara Explore
Mara Intrepids
Samburu Intepids
Voyager Ziwani
Beach Hotels
Kipengoni Explorer
Northland City
Plans are said to be at an advanced stage to build a city by the Kenyatta family in their 11,576 acre farm. This farm is where the Brookside Dairy is located as well as Uhuru Kenyatta Secondary School and Peponi school.
The mixed use development will incorporate high to low income residential areas, commercial and central business district, institutions of learning as well as industrial and agricultural zone.
Mama Ngina has always been a go-getter and was quick to grab any opportunity to amass even more wealth.
She, together with Kenyatta’s daughter Margaret Wambui, was involved the illegal ivory trade that nearly wiped clean the elephant population in Kenya. During Kenyatta’s reign, over 70,000 elephants were killed for their ivory. Mama Ngina is said to have made Kes800,000 annual from the illegal trade. Her hunger for material possession saw her get into the charcoal business
Net Worth of Kenyatta Family
The Forbes Magazine placed the net worth of Uhuru Kenyatta at $500 million in 2011 when he was a deputy prime minister. This figure can only be on an upward trajectory after he assumed power in 2013.
