To a majority of people around the world, money is the one thing that can make almost all problems disappear. And for Samuel Abisai, poverty was cast out of his vocabulary in May 2017 when he became the first Kenyan to win the Sportpesa Mega Jackpot, a whooping Ksh221 million.
After staying under the radar for a while, Abisai recently popped up on social media and local dailies, showcasing his lavish lifestyle.
On October 9, 2022, he shared a series of images on social media platforms showcasing his newly acquired pair of wheels, a brand new Toyota Prado TX, estimated to worth north of Ksh6 million.
The black Toyota Prado TX is a favourite among Kenya’s wealthy and political class. The car is famed for its comfort, suitability to all weather terrain, and availability of spare parts.
Abisai also owns a white Mercedes Benz sedan. In October, he shared an image of his son seated on top of the vehicle’s hood, with a view of their affluent neighbourhood in the background. The estate features well-manicured grass, white picket fences and humongous yellow mansions.
The jackpot winner also owns a Lexus compact SUV RX series. He had shared images of the cart undergoing a makeover in September.
Winning the jackpot
At first, he could not believe that a Ksh200 bet had made him a multi-millionaire and struggled with comprehending that his life was about to change. But slowly, one call after another, some congratulating him, others asking for handouts, the truth dawned on Abisai, he was rich.
After cashing in the cheque, the lottery winner is said to have bought a car worth tens of millions of shillings before embarking on a couple of vacations with his friends. Further reports also indicated that he opened businesses across various locations in East Africa.
During a previous interview with Churchill Ndambuki, Abisai gave an account of how he spent the money he won, noting that he went for almost a year before he begun using the money.
He recounted that he first went to his local church to make his contributions to the local community.
“I did not give the 10% (tithe) but I went to the church and asked the pastor what he wanted me to do for the place. He told me what he wanted and I sorted the church.
He revealed that his father adviced him to invest the money before he could help the rest of his family.
“I asked my father what I could do for him but he told me not to take money from the windfall to treat him then. He asked me to treat him from the profit I would realise after investing the money.
“If he would have asked me to build something for him immediately, I think I would have wasted the money,” he noted.
Abisai also states that he helped his friends with the money. He invested in the companies of some of them while employing others in his.
“There is a boy called Malik who is in Rongai and currently has a garage. It is not that I gave him money, we partnered and started a business from scratch. I have other friends I have helped.
“I have also employed some in my company. I got some people from Kakamega who work in Nairobi,” he recounted.
In a Facebook post early in 2022, Abisai revealed that a mzungu friend by the name Stefco Klaver had always been his go to for crucial financial advice.
“Thank you, brother, for providing tools, guidance, support, and feedback I needed to thrive. Baraka tele zikufuate siku zote za maisha yako(I wish ou blessings for the rest of your life),” he wrote.
