Wilfred Mwiti Kathurima popularly known as Willy Kathurima is a Tswana cattle farmer of Kenyan origin. He owns a 22,000-acre ranch christened Nakatsakgama farm in Botswana. His is a story of sheer determination and hard work.
Determined to seek success beyond the Kenyan borders, Kathurima left the country for Zambia in 1984. He worked there for three years before later relocating to Botswana where he ventured into farming.
Kathurima started his farm with a handful of cows. He reared various animals and sold them for profit. According to reports, agriculture is the second-largest income earner in Botswana after Diamonds.
His farm is registered by the European Union, and ranches all types of cattle for dairy products, beef, and other commercial purposes.
The trained lawyer and businessman in an interview on Daring Abroad with Alex Chamwada stated that the key to the success of his farm was resilience.
“I started in a very humble situation, in a cattle post with eight cattle. But I now have 1000 cattle and it is because of resilience,” Kathurima said.
He subdivided the farm into five camps each with a different type of cattle for a specific purpose. For instance, the first camp hosts bullocks that are ready for market. The second camp of the ranch has the Boran species of cattle that can easily withstand drought. These are sold off to clients when demand is high.
“We sell three times a year. The bullocks are sold to Botswana Meat Commission and we can also convey to Europe and other markets. Female heifers are sold before they can be mated,” Kathurima said.
Prices
The prices of cattle on Kathurima’s farm vary with the size, species, and sex of the animal. A mature Bullock goes for 40,000 Botswana pullas (approximately Ksh400,000) while a young heifer costs about Ksh75,000.
Kathurima who left Kenya more than three decades ago, hopes to invest in the country should he manage to acquire a vast piece of land.
“It is possible. If we get a chance to have even 100 acres of land back in Kenya, we can organize how to invest there,” Kathurima told Chamsmedia.
Despite settling and raising his family in Botswana, Kathurima notes that he still hasn’t forgotten about his extended family back in Kenya. He, however, noted that he will likely spend most of his life in the Southern Africa country.
“I did not carry all my relatives to Botswana so I do assist them back in Kenya. We have seen cash flow back into that country that we love very much,” he added.
Professional Career
Kathurima is the former President of the Real Estate Institute of Botswana. He is a qualified Land Economist, Valuation Surveyor, Property Manager, and Estate Agent. He is also a registered member of the Real Estate Advisory Council of Botswana, a full member of the Real Estate Institutes of Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (United Kingdom) and also a founding member and former President of the standards committee of the Real Estate Institute of Botswana.
Kathurima is the owner of Willy Kathurima Associates – an independent Property Consultancy company with over 30 years’ experience in the Southern, Central, and East African property markets. The company which he founded in 1989, has grown to become one of Botswana’s most reputable property consulting agencies to date.
The company has established and fully resourced offices in Gaborone, Palapye, Francistown, and Maun all handling property consultancy related assignments. With the many years in service, the company has managed to secure an ever-growing private and corporate client base.
With an establishment of 43 employees throughout Botswana, Kathurima prides himself on the premise of leading a quality service team and continues to aid in the development of real estate in the country. His experience spans over urban and rural real estate valuation to plant, equipment/machinery, and investment appraisal.
He is also a professional coach, mentor, and accomplished business strategist.
