He was the driving force behind the development of Fedha Estate, Akiba Estate, East African Building Society (EABS Building, now Ecobank House), Akiba Bank, and several landmark commercial properties in Nairobi.

Many of his admirers have described him as a born entrepreneur.

In fact, Rwandan economist David Himbara once noted that Pandit tried to sell a life insurance policy to the Kenyan colonial Governor, Sir Evelyn Baring, aged only 19.

Pandit’s journey in real estate began when he qualified as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building Societies.

He returned to Kenya in October 1958 and officially registered the EABS building (now Ecobank House).

Armed with KSh 5,000, he proceeded to open his first office, which was located on Hussein Suleiman Road (now Tubman Road) in 1959, aged 23.

At the time, Kenya’s economy was reeling from the effects of the state of emergency, which had been declared in 1952 by British colonial Governor Sir Evelyn Baring in response to the Mau Mau Uprising.

Only two building societies existed in Nairobi, but Pandit was sure there was room for expansion.

His company began providing mortgages to Kenyans who wanted to build their homes, and rapidly expanded to Kisumu and Mombasa.

By 1952, he had bought the old Brunner’s Hotel and converted it to the imposing 20-storey Fedha Towers in Nairobi.

By 1989, 30 years after he started his company, Pandit was worth over KSh 2 billion. By 2005, EABS was valued at over KSh 10 billion.

He is also credited with founding the Akiba Loans and Finances company in 1972 and Mercantile Insurance in 1993.

Akiba Loans and Finances pioneered the development of various housing estates such as Fedha and Akiba in South C.

Fedha Estate is located in Embakasi, along the eastern side of Nairobi. It lies off Outer Ring Road, near Tassia Estate, Pipeline, and Nyayo Estate, Embakasi.

The estate’s growth is credited mainly to its proximity to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Sadly, Pandit passed away in 2005, aged 69.

By the time of his death, he was the chairperson of the Kenya Institute of Management and a member of the Capital Markets Authority.

His company, Akiba Loans and Finances, was also one of the first Kenyan finance companies to become a bank.

Pandit’s  property was inherited by his billionaire brothers Rajesh and Dhruv Pandit.

In mid-2008, the brothers merged Akiba Bank and EABS, after which they sold a 75% stake in the company to Togo-based Ecobank, in a deal that was worth over ksh 1 billion.

The brothers also own the iconic Emperor Plaza along Kenyatta Avenue.

In 2018, Business Daily reported that the brothers held the property on a 50:50 basis and had put it up for sale for approximately KSh 750 million.

They also own the iconic Fedha Plaza, which is located on Mpaka Road in Westlands, as well as  Nairobi’s Westminster House along Kenyatta Avenue.

Nyamumbo’s eloquent pitch was what first caught the public eye, with a viral video showing her seeking KSh 44 million (350,000 USD) as she tried to convince five tycoons on the popular American reality TV show Shark Tank to buy a 5% stake in her Kahawa 1893 coffee company.

At first, it was not clear whether her eloquent presentation had made any headway.

The ‘shark tanks’ who listened to her presentation were Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Emma Grede, and Kevin O’Leary.

It was not until she took to the socials the next morning that she confirmed winning a partnership with British businesswoman, co-founder, and CEO of Good American, Emma Grede.

Grede, a self-made tycoon, holds the distinction of being the first Black woman to serve as an investor on the Shark Tank show, with a net worth of Ksh.44.9 billion ($360 million).

The billionaire posted her partnership with Nyamumbo on her official X account, saying, “We did it! We got a deal. Emma! I am so excited to partner with the incredible @emmagrede to grow Kahawa and bring our mission to millions of women in the world! Let’s go.”

However, the deal did not align with Nyamumbo’s initial terms, with Grede offering to put up an 8% stake in her company, worth about $350 000.

The Story Behind Kahawa 1893

In her Shark Tank presentation, Nyamumbo, who studied in the USA, praised her coffee company and stated that her product is the best in the world.

She stated that she grew up on her grandfather’s coffee farm in Kenya, where she noticed that farmers rarely receive the compensation that is commensurate with the delicious coffee they produce.

She noted that while women provide 90% of the labor, they are rarely paid well because they do not own the land.

This lack of proper compensation was what inspired Nyamumbo to create Kahawa 1893 as a way of offering them proper compensation to coffee farmers.

1983 represents the year that coffee became commercially cultivated in Kenya.

“We source our coffee directly from women farmers in Africa, but that’s not all; we go one step further: our customers can tip the coffee farmers, and we match the tips,” she said.

In her Shark Tank presentation, Nyamumbo noted that her company had made $2million in 2022 revenues, $ 1.3 million year-to-date performance, projections of $4million for 2024, and $10 million revenue targets for 2025.

Her sojourn in the US began when she completed her high school education, when she received a scholarship to pursue an MBA at Harvard University.

Her parents could not raise enough money for her plane ticket, so she had to depend on additional fundraising from relatives and villagers.

After Harvard, she landed a job on Wall Street before she decided to venture into the coffee business in 2017.

Success After Shark Tank

Following her partnership with Grede, Nyamumbo gained valuable capital and resources that helped her brand expand to major national retailers like Sprouts, Target, Costco, and The Fresh Market.

The Shark Tank appearance also helped Kahawa 1893 gain unprecedented momentum, which helped Nyamumbo sell over $1 million worth of coffee in just two months following her presentation.

The company also achieved $4.2 million in overall sales during the year following the Emma Grede partnership, overtaking its previous record of $7million in lifetime sales.

Currently, Kahawa 1893’s net worth is approximately $8.75 million, with annual revenues exceeding $3million.

She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Regal Africa Group, a Nairobi-based firm involved in real estate services, investment advisory, wealth management support.

In a recent interview on Young millionaire talks, Wambui disclosed that she has been in business since 2015, when she started the Regal Africa group.

She also revealed that she made her first million while she was still in her 20s.

When asked why she wanted to become an entrepreneur, she stated that that was the only sure path she knew to becoming wealthy. According to her, the majority of wealthy people in the world are entrepreneurs.

She also explained the difference between being rich and being wealthy.

“Being rich means you look like you have money. Wealth, on the other hand, means owning assets, having financial freedom, and having generational wealth,” she said.

Wambui, whose educational repertoire includes an MBA in Finance from Hult International Business School, stated that one of her most useful money lessons is that money comes and goes.

“No risk, no reward. That is the essence of entrepreneurship. If you want to be wealthy, you must have a great plan and make a calculated risk. If you are too conservative, you’ll not go far,” she said.

According to Wambui, one reason some employed people struggle to build wealth is that they remain in the same career positions for a long time and are often unwilling to take financial risks.

She stated that in her opinion, Nairobi is the best place to invest in real estate in Kenya.

She explained that Nairobi has positioned itself as an international city and has a lot of young people, similar to other cities like Dubai, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Wambui, who describes herself as a real estate wealth strategist, stated that a good investment strategy for young people is investing in real estate.

“You want to start thinking about acquiring your first property. This means that you need to find a decent apartment in a great location that can generate income for you,” she said, adding that having cashflow is one of the key tenets of being wealthy.

She gave examples of real estate investment projects in Kenya, including developments such as Qwetu which provide housing for university students in major towns such as Nairobi.

She also explained that a person can start with as little as Ksh 50, 000 to Ksh 100,000 and continue buying shares over time.

“I tell young people to start with what they have. Form an investment group of like-minded young people, pool resources, and that’s how you start your investment journey,” she said.

Her best business advice is for entrepreneurs to stay true to their vision and trust the process.

“Nobody said it was going to be smooth or easy. But if you have a great idea and a great plan, eventually you will be successful,” she said.

Wambui also believes that one of the greatest advantages young people have is time.

Her interest in real estate started while she was in her 20s, but she said she was only able to fully pursue some of her real estate goals later in her 30s and 40s.

She therefore encourages young people to remain patient and continue believing in their dreams and goals.

Finally, Wambui said she is a committed Christian and believes that success requires God’s guidance.

“You can have the best plans and put in all the work. But if God does not have your back, everything you do is futile,” she said.

A new generation of Kenyan entrepreneurs is attempting a different model: building diversified businesses around sectors considered fundamental to Africa’s long-term economic development.

Among the entrepreneurs pursuing this approach is Simon Mabera, Chairman of Lystra, a Kenyan-founded investment and operating group developing businesses across agriculture, manufacturing, mobility, logistics, mining, energy and healthcare.

Rather than positioning Lystra simply as an investment holding company, Mabera’s longer-term ambition is to build operating businesses capable of producing goods, creating employment, developing local supply chains and attracting international technology and capital into Africa.

Building Lystra

Lystra’s strategy is based on diversification, but with a common theme connecting its businesses: participation in productive sectors of the economy.

The group is building and developing businesses including Lystra Agriculture Division, Lystra Industries, Lystra Mobility, Lystra Freight, Lystra Mines and Lystra Energy, alongside interests in healthcare, real estate and other strategic sectors.

For Mabera, diversification is not simply about owning numerous businesses. The objective is to develop an ecosystem in which different companies can complement one another.

An agricultural business, for example, requires logistics, distribution, financing and processing. Manufacturing requires reliable transportation, energy, warehousing and access to markets.

Building capabilities across several of these areas can therefore create synergies across the wider group.

Inspired by His Business Role Model Chris Kirubi

Mabera’s interest in building a diversified business group is partly influenced by one of Kenya’s best-known entrepreneurs, the late Chris Kirubi, whom he regards as one of his business role models.

Kirubi became widely known for developing interests across several industries rather than confining himself to a single line of business. For Mabera, the important lesson from Kirubi’s career is not simply the number of businesses he was associated with, but the mindset of thinking beyond one enterprise and building investments across different parts of the economy.

Mabera is pursuing his own version of that philosophy through Lystra, while recognising that the group remains at a much earlier stage of its development.

The comparison is therefore not about claiming Kirubi’s scale or legacy. Rather, it reflects an entrepreneurial philosophy Mabera hopes to apply in his own way: building businesses patiently, diversifying intelligently and creating an institution capable of surviving beyond its founder.

Just as his role model built interests across different sectors of Kenya’s economy, Mabera wants Lystra to develop strong operating companies across sectors that can complement one another over time.

His ambition is for Lystra to eventually become a recognisable African business institution with operations that extend beyond Kenya.

Agriculture Takes Centre Stage

Agriculture has emerged as one of Lystra’s important areas of focus. Through Lystra Agriculture Division, the company is building a business around agricultural inputs, farmer distribution networks, commercial farming and, over time, greater local agricultural production and value addition.

One of the areas receiving particular attention is biological agriculture. As Kenyan farmers confront increasingly expensive farm inputs, declining soil productivity, unpredictable weather and pressure to improve yields, Lystra sees an opportunity for agricultural technologies that improve crop productivity while supporting long-term soil health.

Lystra Agriculture Division has been developing its agricultural market through engagement with farmers, agro-dealers, commercial growers, agricultural institutions and international technology partners.

Among its strategic relationships is its partnership with T. Stanes, the Indian agricultural inputs and biotechnology company.

The partnership is intended to support the introduction and distribution of selected biological agricultural products in Kenya while building farmer awareness, field demonstrations and technical support around their use.

Lystra’s approach involves more than simply importing products.

The longer-term strategy is to build distribution, technical support and demonstration networks that allow farmers to understand how new agricultural technologies perform under Kenyan conditions.

Mabera believes successful agricultural businesses will increasingly need to combine science, farmer education and strong last-mile distribution.

From Agriculture Distribution to Local Production

The agricultural strategy also reflects a larger ambition within Lystra: reducing dependence on imported finished products by progressively developing local production capabilities.

The group sees significant opportunity in agricultural manufacturing, value addition and eventually the development of local production infrastructure where market conditions, financing and regulatory approvals support investment.

This would allow Lystra to move beyond distribution into a deeper position within the agricultural value chain.

Lystra Industries and the Move Into Manufacturing

Manufacturing is another central pillar of the group’s strategy. Through Lystra Industries, the group is developing businesses in consumer manufacturing and fast-moving consumer goods.

One of its most visible consumer brands is Mama Lystra Bread. The brand represents Lystra’s entry into everyday consumer food manufacturing and reflects the company’s broader belief that locally manufactured essential products can create recurring demand, employment and stronger domestic supply chains.

Food manufacturing is particularly attractive because of the scale and consistency of consumer demand.

Kenya’s growing population, expanding urban centres and large retail and wholesale networks create a substantial market for essential food products.

However, manufacturing is significantly more complicated than importing and distributing finished products.

Factories require working capital, quality control, reliable raw-material supply, equipment maintenance, distribution infrastructure and disciplined financial management.

For Lystra, establishing manufacturing capacity therefore represents both a major opportunity and an operational challenge.

The group’s objective is to build Mama Lystra and other future consumer products into commercially sustainable brands rather than treating manufacturing as a short-term project.

Building Consumer Brands

Mama Lystra Bread also provides Lystra with something many diversified investment groups do not immediately possess: a direct relationship with everyday consumers. That has strategic value.

Consumer-facing brands generate market visibility, distribution knowledge and real-time information about purchasing behaviour.

As Lystra Industries expands, the group intends to evaluate additional product categories where local manufacturing can compete effectively with imported goods and established domestic producers.

The emphasis must remain on sectors with genuine demand and sustainable unit economics rather than expansion for its own sake.

Lystra Mobility

Mobility is another area receiving attention through Lystra Mobility. The African automotive market is undergoing significant change as electric vehicles, fleet leasing, ride-hailing, commercial transport and new Asian vehicle manufacturers reshape traditional distribution models.

Lystra Mobility is evaluating opportunities across vehicle distribution, fleet solutions and emerging mobility technologies. The group sees potential in building relationships with international automotive manufacturers seeking credible local market partners.

For Lystra, however, the opportunity extends beyond simply selling vehicles. The longer-term value may come from combining distribution, fleet financing, leasing, after-sales support and transport services.

Lystra Freight and the Logistics Opportunity

Through Lystra Freight, the group is also building exposure to logistics and commercial transport.

Efficient transport remains fundamental to nearly every sector in which the group operates.

• Agricultural products must move from farms to processors and markets.
• Manufactured products require dependable distribution.
• Mining requires heavy transport.
• Infrastructure projects need material movement.
• Consumer businesses depend on reliable last-mile delivery.

Lystra therefore views logistics as both an independent commercial opportunity and potentially an important supporting capability for other group businesses.

The company is exploring freight, trucking and broader logistics opportunities as demand develops.

Mining and Africa’s Value-Addition Question

Mining represents another component of Lystra’s longer-term strategy through Lystra Mines. Africa possesses enormous mineral resources, but much of the continent continues to export minerals with relatively limited domestic processing.

Mabera believes this creates an opportunity for African companies to participate more extensively across the mining value chain.

Lystra’s interest extends beyond mineral trading toward exploration, concessions, processing and eventual value addition where commercially viable.

Mining projects require substantial capital, geological expertise, regulatory approvals, environmental compliance, reliable buyers and sophisticated risk management.

Rather than attempting to develop every capability internally, Lystra’s strategy is to work with specialist operators, financiers, technical partners and commodity buyers.

The group distinguishes carefully between operating mining activities, commercial transactions and longer-term projects that remain under evaluation or development.

Lystra Energy and the Infrastructure Ambition

Energy is closely connected to the group’s industrial ambitions.Through Lystra Energy and associated energy-development interests, the group is evaluating opportunities in renewable energy and independent power projects.

Reliable electricity is fundamental to manufacturing, mining, logistics infrastructure, healthcare and virtually every other productive sector.

For Lystra, one of the biggest challenges facing African infrastructure projects is not necessarily a shortage of ideas, it is bankability.

Projects must have credible feasibility studies, appropriate land rights, permits, grid arrangements, credible offtakers and financing structures that investors and lenders can understand.

Lystra’s energy ambitions will therefore depend heavily on strategic partnerships, technical expertise, regulatory approvals and patient capital.

Healthcare and Other Strategic Sectors

Healthcare also features in the group’s longer-term investment plans. Lystra has been examining opportunities around healthcare infrastructure and medical tourism, reflecting rising demand for high-quality medical services across East Africa.

The wider Lystra portfolio also includes interests in real estate and other strategic sectors where the group believes it can establish viable operating businesses or investment partnerships.

However, not every opportunity automatically becomes a group investment.

Future expansion must increasingly be driven by clear investment criteria, capital availability and the ability to recruit experienced operating teams.

Partnerships Rather Than Going It Alone

A recurring feature of Lystra’s strategy is international partnership. Instead of attempting to develop every technology internally, the group is pursuing relationships with manufacturers, technical partners, investors and operators in global markets.

Mabera sees technology transfer as particularly important. International companies may possess decades of manufacturing or technical experience, while local partners understand Kenyan distribution, regulation, customers and market conditions.

Combining the two can reduce the time required to introduce technologies into African markets.

The same philosophy extends to financing. Lystra intends to combine shareholder capital, commercial financing, leasing, strategic investment and project-specific financing depending on the requirements of individual businesses.

Building a Group, Not a Collection of Companies

One of Lystra’s biggest challenges will be turning a growing portfolio of businesses into a coherent institution.Diversification can create opportunity, but it can also create risk. Running businesses across several sectors requires strong governance, professional management and capital discipline.

For that reason, Lystra’s next phase increasingly involves institutionalising the organisation.That means developing stronger boards, strengthening financial controls, recruiting experienced managers and establishing clearer investment criteria for deciding which opportunities the group should pursue.

Projects also need to move through defined development stages rather than being treated as completed investments before financing, approvals and contracts are secured. That distinction is especially important in capital-intensive areas such as mining, healthcare and energy.

The Lystra Model

Viewed together, the group’s operating model becomes clearer. Lystra Agriculture Division provides exposure to agriculture and farm productivity.

• Lystra Industries and Mama Lystra Bread provide exposure to manufacturing and consumer markets.
• Lystra Mobility provides exposure to transportation and automotive markets.
• Lystra Freight addresses logistics and movement of goods.
• Lystra Mines targets mineral opportunities and potential value addition.
• Lystra Energy focuses on infrastructure required to power industrial growth.

Other group interests, including healthcare and real estate, are intended to broaden the platform further as capital and execution capacity grow.

Building an African Business Institution

Mabera’s ambition goes beyond building individual companies. The longer-term objective is to develop Lystra into an African institution capable of deploying capital into businesses that serve fundamental economic needs.

• Agriculture feeds people.
• Manufacturing creates products and jobs.
• Logistics connects producers with markets.
• Mobility moves people and goods.
• Energy powers industry.
• Mining provides raw materials for modern economies.
• Healthcare addresses one of Africa’s largest social and commercial needs.

Bringing these businesses under a common investment platform is an ambitious undertaking, particularly in an environment where access to long-term capital remains difficult. But Mabera believes African entrepreneurs increasingly need to think beyond small standalone enterprises if the continent is to develop globally competitive companies.

His argument is that Africa cannot build prosperous economies through consumption and importation alone. More African companies must manufacture, process, transport, export, innovate and invest.

For Lystra, the coming years will determine whether that philosophy can be translated from ambition into scale.

And just as Mabera has drawn inspiration from entrepreneurs such as his role model Chris Kirubi, his own long-term test will be whether Lystra can develop from an ambitious collection of businesses into a durable African institution.

For Mabera, the objective remains clear: “Our objective is not simply to own many companies. We want to build businesses that solve real economic problems, create value locally and ultimately compete beyond Kenya.”

However, rather than succumbing to depression, he decided to use the skills and connections that he already had to pick himself up again.

According to Odote, who is best known as the billionaire behind The Odote Group, House of Procurement (HOP), and Homeboyz Entertainment, his only resources at the time were a laptop, wifi, and his skills.

Within two weeks, he had leveraged his resources and skills to organize for the musicians who would be performing at one of Kenya’s most popular entertainment events, the Masaku 7s Rugby Festival.

The event, which was launched in 2012, was a sporting and entertainment festival that drew rugby fans and revellers from all corners of the country to Machakos County.

Odote said that he made serious money by bringing in renowned musicians and entertainers to the Masaku 7s festival.

He estimated that within the two weeks during which the festival took place, he made at least ksh 12 million, which helped him leave his cousin’s house and start life afresh.

“Two weeks after losing everything, Masaku 7s was happening, and I was the one who was bringing the musicians. I made a lot of money out of that. I even bought a new car,” he said.

His message was that starting over can begin with one useful skill, one job, or one connection. “You may have lost everything, but you have not lost everything you know. Just start again,” he said.

Unlike many Kenyan tycoons who build their businesses by focusing on one line of business, Odote built his business empire by building a diversified business portfolio.

He is a major shareholder in Homeboyz Entertainment, which owns brands such as Homeboyz TV, HBR 103.5 (Homeboyz Radio), Soundtraxx, Activate, Publicis Africa Group, and Tikiti.

He is also the managing director of The Odote Group of Companies, which operates under the VOVO brand.

His other business, The House of Procurement, deals in the supply of agricultural products and renewable energy as well as microlending and equipment leasing.

In Dr Ofweneke’s interview, Odote disclosed that he began making money during his university days.

During one of the holidays, he formed a team which went around schools in Mombasa showing the film The Passion of the Christ. He said he charged about KSh50 per screening and also sold revision books to students.

By the time he joined university, he said, he had about KSh1.7 million.

However, he did not allow his business to distract him from his studies. He revealed that he graduated magna-cum-laude with an average score of more than 96% across 80 units.

He told Ofweneke that he was not surprised by the result because he had put in the work.

“When you put the work, you’re not really surprised,” he said. “There’s an expectation already that you had of it.”

Odote also revealed that he was a heavy drinker at some point in his life.

He said he worked in a brewery and drank heavily for a couple of years, but stopped taking alcohol when he realized that the drink could damage a person’s health, relationships, and future.

“You cannot be a good father, a good businessman, a billionaire drunk,” he said.

He argued that the cost of drinking is not only financial, and that it can consume one’s time and affect a person’s ability to follow through on important opportunities.

According to him, quitting alcohol has helped him make massive strides in life, while many of his friends have stagnated.

All he had was a flying license, a dream, and an ambition.

Today, Tropic Air offers charters to Kenya’s wealthiest 1%, including celebrities like Sir David Attenborough.

This is Jamie Roberts ’ journey as told by WoK:

Roberts was born in Nakuru, with his family later settling in Baringo’s Kampi Ya Samaki. There, the family operated a fish factory, with Jamie helping his mother take care of his five siblings.

His father passed away when he was only three years old. His grandparents had a small farm in Limuru, where they were small-scale farmers.

At 15, he left school and began working for a local farmer, handling machine maintenance at his various farms.

He later joined a flying club in Nakuru, where he learned how to fly fixed-wing aircraft to make it easier and quicker for him to commute between far-flung locales.

Roberts soon decided to use this knowledge to venture into the aviation business, taking advantage of Kenya’s budding tourism industry in the early 1990s, as new lodges were opening up in Nanyuki and other areas of Laikipia.

With no money to buy an aircraft of his own, he took a loan and leased a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver aircraft from Anthony Dyer. With this aircraft, he began offering scenic flights around Mt Kenya.

“There were about three key lodges in Laikipia when we started. Lewa, Ol Malo, Loisaba, and perhaps a few other small ones. We would also fly people to Turkana and into the Chalbi Desert for camping safaris,” he said.

The business picked up, and within a few years, Tropic Air had grown to become the second busiest air charter company in the country, successfully operating a fleet of Cessna aircraft.

In 2006, the company diversified into helicopters, offering a wide variety of heli-services and safaris throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Kenya, Uganda, Congo, and Ethiopia became the company’s main destinations.

Today, Tropic Air is based at Nanyuki airfield, between the towns of Naro Moru and Nanyuki, just a few kilometres south of the equator. There, the company offers private flights and helicopter services.

The company has a lean team of about a dozen pilots, led by Jamie Roberts. Additionally, the company has directly and permanently employed at least 50 people.

Their fleet features at least a dozen fixed-wing aircraft, including the all-terrain Cessna Grand Caravan, five Airbus H125 (AS350B3), and an Airbus H130.

The Airbus H125 and H130 helicopters perform best in hot and dusty conditions, while the Cessnas are ideal for groups of 2-12 passengers.

Tropic Air is credited with much of the infrastructure behind Nanyuki Airfield, which features simple wooden buildings, extensive lawns, and breathtaking scenery.

The company has diversified its services to include wildlife translocations, extraordinary tourism, aerial photography, cargo flights, crop spraying, and medical evacuations.

According to Roberts, his most frightening experience as a Tropic Air pilot was landing between matatus at Nairobi’s Globe roundabout with a camera crew.

He was quickly surrounded by menacing young men. “I thought they would strip my chopper for scrap metal,” he said in an interview with Standard. However, he took off without incident.

He maintains that Kenya is generally a friendly country, unlike other regions where people are aggressive first and friendly later.

Despite Tropic Air’s success, Jamie stated that the cost of operating an aviation business in Kenya is very high. According to him, importing a helicopter costs at least $3million, with a 48% tax on top.

He stated that this is why few people have helicopters in Kenya, saying that you will rarely find him flying his family around in one.

However, he still maintains that for Tropic Air, the sky is the limit.

Speaking to Massawe Japanni, Sarah stated that Bonfire had lost many customers since their separation in 2024.

According to her, some clients moved to the separate businesses that she and Simon established.

She alleged that during Bonfire’s glory days, Mr Kabu had opened and registered another company under the guise of mentorship.

However, Sarah later came to learn that Kabu’s company had been competing with Bonfire, and that he had entrusted its management to someone else.

“When he opened his company, I also decided to open mine. So, many of Bonfire’s customers moved to our businesses,” said Sarah. “Those who supported me became my customers, while those who supported Simon became his customers. As a result, Bonfire lost customers to both our companies,” she added.

However, Sarah said that clients who did not take sides continued to support Bonfire, and that the business is still doing well.

She stated that they are currently in search of investors who can invest their money in Bonfire and take the business to the next level.

“We are in communication with investors from Kenya and other countries so that we can see whether we can find anyone willing to invest in the business,” she stated.

Power couple to adversaries  

Simon and Sarah founded Bonfire Adventures around 2007–2008. For more than 10 years, the two earned the enviable reputation of being Kenya’s power couple in the tourism sector.

They jointly participated in marketing campaigns, media interviews, motivational talks, and international tours.

In 2024, Simon stated in an interview that he and Sarah co-owned Bonfire on a 50:50 basis, with him serving as the CEO while Sarah served as the managing director.

That same year, their relationship broke down, with Sarah accusing Simon of infidelity, domestic violence, and siphoning Bonfire’s customers to the new company he had established.

Simon vehemently denied the accusations and vowed to seek legal redress and compensation, deeming Sarah’s allegations as defamatory.

Their marital disagreements quickly grew into a full-fledged corporate & legal war involving defamation suits, control of company property, and client retention.

Court documents from 2024 showed Sarah alleging that Simon was diverting clients and Bonfire resources to his new company.

She claimed to be the true founder of Bonfire, arguing that she was the one who came up with the original idea to build the company.

In CCTV footage from 2024, Sarah stated during a staff meeting that Simon was secretly launching a new business with their daughter, and that he was undermining Bonfire Adventures from within.

More disputes

One of Sarah and Simon’s court disputes involved the control of 48 Safaricom lines linked to Bonfire’s business.

Sarah claimed that the lines were essential to Bonfire’s operations and that they were useful for customer acquisition and communication.

However, the High Court noted that the lines were registered in Simon Kabu’s name and that there was no evidence showing that Kabu was using the lines to sabotage Bonfire.

The court also noted that the lines formed only a fraction of Bonfire’s communication channels, and that the company had over 100 registered lines.

Justice Mong’are dismissed the application and ordered Sarah and Bonfire to bear all the costs that were associated with the case.

The company owns and manages some of the most iconic hotels in Kenya, including the legendary Outspan Hotel in Nyeri and Treetops Lodge in Aberdare National Park.

In this article, WoK takes a look at the tycoons who own Aberdare Safari Hotels.

Historical Appeal

The hotels’ story goes back to Major Eric Sherbrooke Walker and his wife, Lady Bettie.

The couple opened Outspan Hotel in 1928 and Treetops in 1932.

Outspan Hotel is located about 17 kilometres from Nairobi National Park and sits on a sprawling 20-acre vista overlooking the slopes of Mount Kenya.

One of the hotel’s main attractions is Paxtu Cottage, where the founder of the Boy Scout Movement, Lord Baden-Powell, spent his sunset years before he was later buried in Nyeri.

He spent his life in the cottage with his wife, Lady Baden Powell, celebrated as the founder of the Scout and Girl Guide movements.

Following the Powells’ deaths, Paxtu cottage became a museum, attracting thousands of tourists annually.

Another flagship property of the Aberdare Safaris Hotels is Treetops Lodge, famous for its links with the late Queen Elizabeth II of England.

In 1952, while visiting Kenya, Elizabeth, who was a princess at the time, had just left Treetops for Sagana Lodge when she received news of the death of her father, King George VI.

The news marked the dawn of her 70-year reign as queen.

Treetops is currently leased by two sons of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Keith Gachagua and Kelvin Gachagua.

They leased the hotel in 2024, following a deal they cut with the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Aside from Treetops and Outspan, Aberdare Safaris Hotels has also managed other properties, such as Shimba Lodge, which is located in Shimba Hills National Reserve in Kwale County.

The lodge became part of Aberdare Safaris Hotel’s wider hospitality portfolio in 1986.

Aberdare Safari Hotels Ownership

Historically, the ownership of Aberdare Safari Hotels has been concentrated among wealthy Kenyan families and political figures.

The company’s ownership structure was partially revealed in 2025, following a major share-buyback transaction.

In a gazette public notice, the company announced that it had purchased 1,272,400 ordinary shares from Wagema Limited and 1,272,400 shares from Wain Limited, for a combined worth of ksh 254.48 million.

Wagema Limited is closely tied to the family of former Tetu MP James Ndung’u Gethenji, who also served as the Director of Personnel Management during the Kenyatta and Moi eras.

Aside from Aberdare Safari Hotels, perhaps the most valuable assets associated with Wagema Limited are Kihingo Village and Waridi Gardens developments in Kitisuru, one of Nairobi’s most exclusive suburbs.

The project, which is worth billions, is a luxury gated community that sits on approximately 37 acres and consists of dozens of ultra-high-end homes.

The other shareholder of Aberdare Safari Hotels, Wain Limited, is owned by the family of businessman and philanthropist James Waibochi.

Each member of the Waibochi family owns at least 1000 shares in the company.

You may recognize Mr Waibochi as the Director of Kenyanisation of the Personnel Bureau at the Ministry of Labour during Jomo Kenyatta’s government.

Another notable member of the broader Waibochi family is John Waibochi, founder and CEO of Virtual City.
He gained international recognition after winning Nokia’s Growth Economy Venture Challenge in 2010 and was awarded ksh 80 million.

Among its most popular destinations are Papa Remo Beach, Papa Remo Restaurant, and Seven Islands Resort, which are owned and run by the Lenzi family.

Remo Lenzi relocated to Kenya from Rome in the mid-1990s. He settled in the sunny beaches of Watamu, a coastal town in Kilifi County, where he decided to retire and begin a new chapter in his life.

He bought an undeveloped piece of land near Seven Islands Bay, pitched a tent, and built a simple shack.

The Watamu community quickly accepted him, and children at the beach began calling him “Papa Remo.” He later used the name for his restaurant.

Over time, his son, Roberto, and grandson, Riccardo, took over what their father had started, transforming it into a holiday resort, a beach, and the Saturday night shows that have made the place famous.

Papa Remo Restaurant overlooks the green waters of the Indian Ocean and faces two large rocky islands.

Its setting attracts visitors who want to enjoy a meal while taking in the seaside views.

The family’s businesses also include Crystal Bay and Seven Islands resorts in Watamu, reportedly valued at more than KSh1 billion.

Other properties linked to Lenzi include the Crystal Bay and Paparemo Village residential developments, Tamu Restaurant, and Paparemo Beach Restaurant.

The family’s vast estate also features several imposing mansions and a golf course.

These investments have helped expand Watamu’s tourism industry and contributed to its growth as a holiday destination on the Kenyan coast.

Paparemo often hosts private parties for continental, Asian, and Eurpean ViP weddings and concerts featuring top African names in the entertainment sector.

Mr Lenzi himself recently hosted a party for one of Nigeria’s richest tycoons.

The restaurant has also been the recent host of the “Red Card Campaign “, a gender equality initiative that was supported by the Africa Regional Office of the United Nations Development Programme (ARDN).

During the event, Lenzi stated that the development of an intelligent and responsible entertainment space has been a key factor behind the growth of Watamu’s tourism sector.

“We are making Watamu a modern and international destination,” said the 95-year-old tycoon.

He stated that his vision was to ensure that Watamu has all the credentials to attract young people looking for the pleasures of all-round vacationing as well as older people looking to host and attend serious initiatives like the Red Campaign.

Lenzi’s grandson, Riccardo Lenzi, reportedly died in 2024 after suffering from the flu. He was described as the family’s only male heir.

In 2018, the Lenzi family found themselves on the wrong side of the law when the court of appeal ruled that the plot of land that the five-star Seven Islands Resort was built on did not belong to Mr Lenzi and that it had been illegally acquired from one Sarah Jelangat Siele.

However, the Nyanza and Western regions are home to several low-profile entrepreneurs whose business empires silently control a significant chunk of the economies of these regions.

In this article, WOK has compiled a list of the region’s most influential business figures

Bernard Odote (Siaya)

Odote controls one of the largest business empires in Western and Nyanza, through the Odote Group of Companies.

With a net worth that is significantly north of ksh 1 billion, Odote is involved in businesses such as the provision of agricultural products and microlending.

He owns companies such as Homeboyz Entertainment, House of Procurement (HOP), WH Global Disposal Partners, PAWACOM, among many others.

Despite his success, Odote likes to keep a low public profile, unlike many Kenyan business moguls.

Evans Nyagaka Anyona (Kisii)

Evans Nyagaka is the majority shareholder of ENA coach bus company. The company’s initials are an acronym of Nyagaka’s full name.

ENA Coach boasts a fleet of over 70 buses, which has directly and indirectly employed over 300 individuals across Kenya.

Initially, ENA operated under the umbrella of Transline Classic but became an independent company in 2018 under the leadership and ownership of Mr Nyagaka.

ENA coach buses dominate major routes in the country’s western and Nyanza corridor as well as part of the coast region.

Evans Nyang’au (Kisii)

Evans Nyagaka Anyona is the founder and majority shareholder of Transline Classic, one of the largest public transport companies in the western region.

He started the business in 2005 with his initial vehicle being a pickup. He then invested in14-seater matatus and later long-distance travel buses.

The Nairobi-Kisii route is Transline’s strongest base, although the company’s vehicles also ply other towns such as Nakuru, Bungoma, Busia, Migori, and Kisumu.

Gor Semelang’o (Migori)

Gor Semelang’o made his fortune by investing in the local oil marketing business under the company Petrokenya Oil Company Limited, which supplies petroleum products throughout the East African region.

He is the company’s owner and founder. In 2019, Semelang’o sold 45% of his shares in Petrokenya to a United Arab Emirates Firm in a deal that saw him pocket ksh 4.5 billion.

He also owns Talanta Media, a media company that was behind the now-defunct Truth magazine.

Although he prefers keeping a low public profile, Semelang’o has previously made headlines after wearing a KSh 500,000 watch and gifting his son a Ford Mustang car worth ksh 4 million.

Jared Otieno (Homa Bay)

Jared Otieno is the CEO of Express Feeders Ltd, a company that has branches in many regional and international countries.

His net worth includes a sprawling mansion in Karen, which he bought for ksh 110 million in 2016 from Cytonn Investments.

He is also one of the few Kenyans who own several customized high-end vehicles, including a Porsche and a Bentley.

In 2022, the flamboyant businessman withdrew his bid for the Homa Bay County gubernatorial seat and instead chose to throw his weight behind then Suba South MP John Mbadi.

The Ouru Brothers (Kisii)

The Ouru brothers are a common household name in Kisii, thanks to their vast business empire which includes Ouru Discount Centre, Ouru Twin Towers, Ouru Hyper Stores, and other prominent buildings within Kisii town.

The brothers, whose real names are Mr. Ken Nyakundi Mogaka and Mr. Ken Mugambi Mogaka, have been very instrumental in the growth and development of many towns in Nyanza, especially Kisii.

Ouru Superstores is their most prominent business, with branches in Migori, Kisii, Bomet, Nyamira, and Homabay.