The Richest People In Kenya

I normally find a lot of people asking the question “who are the richest people in kenya?” and thought why not do some research concerning the topic and try to present what is believed to be kenya’s richest or wealthiest people. It’s anybody’s guise that the 10 or 20 top richest people in Kenya are either past and present politicians who have looted public money or businessmen who majority of them were in one way or another connected to the government.

Even though it may be a challenge in uncovering the exact wealth of the richest people in Kenya due to their conservative nature of hiding how they actually became instant millionaires and billionaires in an overnight and evolving from rags to richness here below are estimates of what some of the richest people in Kenya could be worth. Note that all the millionaires and billionaires in Kenya are not covered in this article but hopefully I will be able to provide Kenyan rich list based on such things as business, politics, sports, athletics, media e.t.c but for now let’s see a list of a 20 kenyan rich list.

Moi and family

Daniel moi (the second president of the republic of Kenya) together with his three sons Gideon, Raymond and Philip are said to be the richest individuals in Kenya. Moi has been the president of Kenya for 2 and half decades as a dictator and many people believe his wealth could be as a result of looting public money. He is said to be having an interest in;

• Ambank limited
• Land and property across Kenya.
• lion of Kenya insurance
• A dairy farm in the rift valley.
• kenol/kobil petroleum limited.
• Transnational bank limited.
• Kenya television network.
• paradise holdings Limited.
• kipngetich tea factory.
• Shares in insurance company of east Africa.

in short moi and family are believed to be having a wealth in the region of US$3 Billion.

Kenyatta and family

jomo Kenyatta was the first president of independence Kenya after the British left in 1963. He has been in the helm of Kenya’s presidency for 15 years. The Kenyatta family is the second largest individual land owners in Kenya. Some of the companies they own or have some shares include the heritage group of hotels, Brookside dairy, prestige airlines, commercial bank of Africa, village market, peponi schools, property and buildings. The kenyatt family is believed to be worth over US$1 billion.

Nicholas biwott

Nicholas biwott is a former powerful cabinet who served in president moi’s and kibaki’s government’s for 30 good years. Many term him as the “total man” as he is thought to be extremely rich. Some of biwott’s wealth include yaya shopping centre (valued at shillings 3billion), kobil petroleum company, land and property valued at billions of shillings, uhuru highway development company, shares in many of companies listed in the Nairobi stock exchange. No one will ever deny that Nicholas biwott is extremely rich and that is why his wealth is estimated to be more than US$1.5 billion.

Raila odinga

He is the son of former powerful politician and Kenya’s first vice president. Odinga himself has been in politics for quite some time now having had the opportunity to work in successive governments. He has held various ministerial posts including those of roads and energy. He was appointed the prime minister after the disputed 2007 presidential election where he was a presidential candidate running ODM ticket. Back to his wealth now raila is believed to be among the Kenya’s elite rich list. He has interests in pan African petroleum limited (700million shillings), kisumu ethanol molasses plant which produces ethanol, co2, yeast, industrial products and is valued at 3billion shillings, east Africa spectre limited (gas cylinder manufacturing company valued at 500 million Kenyan shillings), residential and commercial property in Nairobi, kisumu and Mombasa.

Musalia mudavadi

Wycliffe musalia mudavadi was born 1960 to a powerful cabinet minister in moi’s govt. he is the current deputy prime minister and minister of local government in the republic of Kenya. He become an mp in 1989 after death of his father and was immediately appointed a cabinet minister. Since then he has been a minister in the ministries of finance, local government and transport. He has also been a vice president of Kenya for three months. Those who know mudavadi say he is super rich and has interests in banks, insurance, property, residential houses in the city’s riverside estate. unga house westlands also belongs to him. he also owns a property management company. His mululu home in kakamega is also worth millions of shillings.

William ruto.

He may not be in the league of big boys like moi and Kenyatta family but no one doubts the richness and vast wealth of William ruto. He is a young legislator from eldoret north constituency who burst up into the limelight as an unknown thanks to yk ‘92 (kanu youth lobby group) together with cyrus jirongo where they were campaigning for the re-election of moi and his kanu government. Since then his star both politically and economically has been increasing and is believed to be among the richest in Kenya as of today. He owns oseng properties limited, orterter entreprises limited, Property along jogoo road Nairobi, is a shareholder in amaco insurance. osere flats in rongai also belongs to him.

Mwai kibaki.

being the third and the current president of Kenya, no one will ever dispute the richness of kibaki. Being in politics and government for almost half a century kibaki is thought to be worth billions of shillings. He owns large pieces of land in Kenya’s productive land, has shares in many of the major companies in Kenya, has commercial and residential properties at various parts of the country.

Jimnah mbaru.

He is a renowned investment banker, served as the chairman of Nairobi stock exchange for 10 years. founder and chair of African stock exchanges association, has interest in dyer and blair bank,jitegemee trust, Africa consulting group limited, Nairobi equator hospital, occidental insurance company, AIG global investment company(us$300), british American.

Cris kirubi.

He is said to have started as car salesman but is now considered among the richest people in Kenya. He is a business associate of kibaki and owns international house limited, capital fm, kiruma international limited, haco industries, uap insurance and centum investment.

Philip ndegwa family.

once a governor of the central bank of Kenya. Chairman of Kenya commercial bank. Has interests in insurance company of east africa, lion of Kenya insurance, unga group, riverside park estate, mitchel corts limited, machenzie kenya, east Africa bottlers. The Philip ndegwa family is believed to be sitting on billions of shillings in wealth.

Manu chandaria

Manu chandaria owns many multi- million companies which include east African match company and mabati industries.

Simeon nyachae.

simeon nyachae is a famous businessman and politician who has accumulated substantial amount of wealth during his days in government. He is now retired politically but financially few people will reach where he is now.

Charles njonjo

njonjo is a famous outspoken politician cum businessman. He has served as the attorney general of the republic of Kenya and now though retired and old age catching up with him he is in the Kenyan rich list. Some of the companies that he is said to have an interest in include cfc stanbic bank, cmc holdings, car and general east africa, shares in british american, Barclays bank kenya, alico insurance,sankara hotel.

Stanley githunguri.

He was born in 1945 and studied political science economics. He worked at national bank of Kenya. He owns lilian towers of which the famous Nairobi safari club is located. he also owns shares in many companies, owns large hectares of land, has cash crop growing farms central Kenya.

Naushad merali.

He is the owner of sameer group of companies. He controls companies with a combined assets of over 15 billion shillings.

John michuki

The late john michuki was also among the richest in Kenya. He has served in various ministries including those of internal security, finance, transport and environment. Michuki is said to be worth billions of shillings and some of his wealth includes Windsor golf and country club hotel in muthaiga (4 billion), norfolk towers in Nairobi, college house university way, vast land and property in central province and Nairobi, residential and commercial estates.

Sk machria.

He is a media magnet billionaire. He is the owner of royal media services that owns citizen television, hot96 fm and hosts of other vernacular radio stations. It is believed that he used his state house connections to build a multibillion media house in Kenya.

John harun mwau.

this is a man who obama has declared to be a drug baron but he denies the allegations. Elected into parliament in 1992 through pick, appointed head of anti corruption by moi. He is extremely rich and to justify that he has successfully undertaken rural electrification program in ukambani with his money, taken all councilors from ukambani on a trip to Israel at a cost of 80 million shillings. He has invested more than 80 billion shillings in the United States alone and is also said to be owning other multibillion companies in Asia and Middle East. Some of his well known companies include, harun international limited, vitu limited, pepe enterprises, sheltown limited.

Njenga karume.

The late njenga Karume rose from a charcoal burner with no formal eduction to a self made billionaire. He is a former defense minister and mp for kiambaa. He has tea and coffe plantations in central province, residential and commercial properties in Nairobi and other parts of Kenya. Cianda house in nairobi’s koinange street belongs to him.

Joshua kulei.

Joshua kulei is the former personal assistant to retired president Daniel moi and many believe his wealth has been acquired illegally through the contacts he had with the president when looting of public money was the order of the day, how could someone who worked as prison warden before his adoption into state house get access to wealth said to be in billions of shillings?. He happens to own large hectors of land, property, businesses in kenya. He also owns property (managed by his brother telel) in the U.S.