The Entrepreneur
David Karangu: Ex-Wealthiest Kenyan in US Plans Business Comeback
David Karangu worked 12 hours a day, six days a week, meaning the guy did not have time for a social life. This leads one to ask whether hard work alone is the panacea for business success.
“A good plan comes first.” The love of your work is secondary; you would do it for fun. “Hard work follows along with a little luck,” he says.
:Once America’s Wealthiest Kenyan, Quietly Ventures into Real Estate in Malindi as He Eyes a Grand Business Comeback in Kenya. Can He Recreate His Past Success?
By Charles Wachira
At age 30, David Karangu became a dollar millionaire, joining 5.3 million affluent households, comprising 1.9% of the population, in the world’s largest economy with a net worth of $1 million or more.
The year was 1997—the place, Augusta, Georgia.
Ten years later, after earning his millionaire stripes, Karangu sensationally retired from his daily grind, selling his entire business to revel in his next earthly adventure of globetrotting and building luxury homes.
Since relocating to Kenya in 2022, Karangu has engaged disparate professionals involved in his nascent businesses on particular days of the week.With each group seemingly allocated time to engage with him, demonstrating a time management skill on his part that replicates a military regiment.
And should an interlocutor be running late, Karangu calls them to inform them a meeting has begun:What they do with that information is up to them.
Arguably, Karangu’s time discipline evokes Carl Sandburg‘s observation, that states : “The common man does not concern himself with time; it propels the talented man forward.”
Currently, he’s involved in some real estate projects in Malindi, where he has purchased significant land.For now , that’s all he’s willing to share about his present exploits, opting to court anonymity with a vengeance.
But your correspondent is not done with him yet. He reminds him of the Biblical parable of talents and assures him that he, who lives in the firmament, is undoubtedly proud of his earthly achievements to date and, therefore, he should not be modest.
But he does not budge.
One of Karangu’s properties in the US was described as “ a smart home version of a European castle.”
What are some of his thoughts about business?
“ Where most business people make a mistake is when they become too attached to a business,” says Karangu, whose judgement, influencing him to call it a day at age 40, led the Columbia Business School to write a white paper sponsored by the US Government called “The Owner’s Journey”.
The paper interviewed eight successful US entrepreneurs, including Karangu, who nurtured and grew businesses but unwittingly struggled with cognitive dissonance as their accustomed adrenaline-driven lifestyle got upended.
It features their firsthand accounts of shared experiences, lessons learned, and reflections on what they might have done differently.
Then,as the days and nights unfolded, paving the way for a fresh year and then another and another, Karangu, according to the papers’ account, raised the white flag. An unquenchable desire for the business he first fell in love with at 18 years old, namely running a car dealership, seductively strangled his pulmonary veins.
He badly needed to breathe again.
Let’s take a deep dive into Karangu’s involvement with the US.
It turns out Karangu, once associated with the 26th largest minority-owned car dealership in the U.S. according to the Black Enterprise Magazine (BEM) – was at the time raking in annual sales surpassing $100 million.
With his involvement with the US traceable to his father, Dr. Mwangi Karangu, a beneficiary of the Kennedy Airlifts who ended up being an egghead at Morgan State University.
But in 1972, after a 12-year hiatus, the old man and his fledgling family relocated back to Kenya, marking the first time the younger Karangu, born in the U.S. in ‘67, would set foot in the motherland.
However, Karangu’s visit to his forebearer’s homeland was short-lived.
In 1983, the older Karangu and his brood relocated to the U.S. upon accepting a teaching job, once again at Morgan State University. With the political uncertainty submerging Kenya then widely thought to have prompted the move.
You see,in 1982, two unsavoury events occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa’s fourth-biggest economy, including an attempted coup and the abrogation of plural democracy. These duo acts gradually smothered the bloodline of a functional democracy, precipitating a palpable sense of edginess in the national psyche.
From then on, Kenya seemed to be barreling towards an aberration of what the Roman goddess Libertas symbolises in the iconic Statue of Liberty found in the Big Apple.
The foreboding atmosphere in Kenya must have stirred the lecturer and his family to relocate to the US.
The Washington Post nicely captured the mood engulfing this East Africa state at the time, reporting that “Since he came to power in 1978,( President) Moi has weathered a reported assassination plot, a bloody Air Force coup attempt, a sharp drop in Kenya’s economy, and, by his own recent account, the recognition of “evil-minded people” in his government who are holdovers from( President) Kenyatta’s days in power.”
Additionally, the Paper reported that by holding parliamentary elections in 1983, a year before the scheduled time, Moi had advanced the argument that it was “in order to clean the system.”
He further advised Kenya’s 7.2 million registered voters that it would serve their best interests if they elected MP’s who closely identified with him and reject contestants thought to be “disloyal” to him.
In 1983, the world also witnessed several seminal events happening.
That year, the first-ever portable mobile phone was unveiled, and the U.S. invaded the Caribbean Island nation of Grenada, while Zimbabwe witnessed the beginning of a civil war.It was apparent that parts of the world were in a capricious mode.
It was also a watershed year for this East African state as national elections were taking place.
Many recognise that Moi explicitly called for the 1983 elections to address a severe political crisis that arose after Moi labelled Charles Njonjo, a powerful politician at the time, a traitor, dismissed him from the cabinet, and expelled him from the ruling party KANU.
Two reasons led to this decision.
First, Moi hoped that the elections would legitimise the presidency and restore confidence following the abortive coup on August 1, 1982.
Two, the elections were used to focus public attention away from the serious economic problems that the country was facing, says Dr. Ahluwalia Davinder Pal Singh, a political scientist.
And for a person whose worldview had been shaped by the thinking behind a coterie reverently referred to as an Assembly of Demigods, it was arguable that Dr. Karangu’s fidelity to the second paragraph of the United States Declaration of Independence was sacrosanct.
Indeed, it can be said, Kenya of the 80s and 90s exhibited a predatory, retaliatory, and uncharitable character, particularly towards adherents of libertarianism but also towards that anonymous man on a Kenyan street who dared believe in the doctrine of all persons having inalienable rights.
Young Karangu takes over from here.
“I got started when I was 17 years old. That’s when I relocated back to the US from Kenya. People who knew me then in Baltimore will tell you I used to say, ‘I will be a millionaire before I’m 30 years old.’ And they would say, ‘That Karangu kid is crazy.’ But this is something I badly wanted to become more than anything else,” says Karangu, 58, “the first personal quality one needs to have to achieve success in business or any other sphere of life is ambition.”
According to the Entrepreneur magazine “Self-belief is the foundation of success.”
This assertion is widely considered an ironclad rule.For undoubtedly, no one ever achieved unreasonable success without maintaining a strong belief in themselves. Self-belief must ultimately align with the specific field in which one aims to triumph.
“Nobody reaches a target without defining it and believing –sometimes naively and to almost universal ridicule – that it is attainable.”
In his telling, Karangu states that other qualities necessary for business success include liking people, adopting a cautious approach when hiring human capital, and possessing money management skills.
“You have to know how to hire and maintain discipline,” he emphasises. “This is a crucial skill you must possess. Interpersonal relationships are critical. For instance, how one deals with customers is essential. Another area where people often falter is in managing money.
“This is where education and going to college come in. In business, you first learn that profit and cash are two different things. If you are not managing your money correctly and there is a lot of cash tied up in inventory, you can be cash-poor, affecting many people.
“Managing money and managing people are the two biggest things that can make or break a sale,” says Karangu, born in 1967 in a U.S. hospital.
Being disciplined, says Karangu, is also an attendant quality required to succeed in business.
“One requires undivided discipline; I worked 70 to 80 hours weekly, not because I had to but because I took my business extremely seriously.”
He adds, “When it comes to business, I’m very strict; I do not hire people because they are my friends, as I have always protected my reputation and integrity,” says Karangu.
To date Karangu is probably the only Kenyan progeny to have had a calendar day named after him in the US, as evidenced by the Mayor of Augusta, Georgia, declaring July 28, 2005, “the David Karangu Day.”
The bureaucrat also awarded this entrepreneur, widely thought to have been one of the top ten business operatives in the ancestral home of the Hardest Working Man in Show Business, with an Honorary Key to the city.
The Governor of Georgia also appointed Karangu to the Board of the second-largest hospital in the State for a three-year term.
These accolades underlined Karangu’s then-unvarnished pedigree as an influential entrepreneur in the U.S.
Upon completing his undergraduate studies at Morgan State University—with degrees in accounting and marketing—his first job was as a dishwasher at a large pancake franchise, a job he considered tedious.
Initially, he had set his mind on becoming a lawyer, but gradually, his innate intuition directed him towards the sales profession.
“It was something I just sort of fell into,” says Karangu, who, on exiting the pancake franchise, got employed by the Ford Motor Company, where he stayed for eight years, ascending through the ranks.
“I discovered it was something I enjoyed,” he says.
Soon after learning the ropes, he dreamed of owning his dealership and building a nest egg.
After saying goodbye to Ford in 1995, he enrolled at the National Automobile Dealers Association Academy – a prerequisite requirement for all car dealers in the U.S.- while working as a sales manager at a Lincoln dealership in Melbourne, Florida.
Ford Motor Company owned Lincoln Motor Company and acquired the company around 1922; it’s a luxury vehicle division of Ford.
“When I started my business, I knew I wanted to do this.” I did my research and was able to provide hard numbers. I left a job paying me over $120,000 a year to start a business.
“The first year I made $40,000. This brings me to another point. You better get married to someone committed to the ups and downs of business. Imagine going from $ 120,000 to $40,000! Or moving from a nice four-bedroom house to an apartment. These are the sacrifices you have to make when you are getting started,” he says.
After he completed the course, he could do nothing but wait for the right opportunity to come along.
But after learning the ropes, he started dreaming of owning his dealership and building a nest egg for that purpose.
The thought of starting his own business didn’t worry him, but the waiting drove him crazy.
“I had always loved cars since I was a little boy.During my stint as an employee, I made up my mind that the automobile industry would be part of my future,” he told the Kenya-based Nation newspaper.
His entrepreneurial journey, which led to his present-day financial freedom, began in Augusta, Georgia.But it was anything but bliss, for he faced the ubiquitous travails faced by bootstrapper entrepreneurs.
Listen up as Karangu narrates his initial obstacles.
“ Let me walk you through.” I was working for the Ford Motor Company and was comfortable doing what I was doing. Then, I decided I wanted to go out and do something else for myself. I couldn’t think of anything at the time. But at night, I’d see all these informational commercials on TV about buying houses and becoming a millionaire. Guess what? I bought into this stuff.
“I realised that you could get rich this way. The next thing that I did was to identify the business I wanted to engage in. And I identified that I wanted to buy an automobile dealership. And I went to the people in the industry that I knew, and they turned me down. They asked me, “How old are you anyway?” I said, “ 25 years.” And they said, “Get another 15 years before we can take you seriously”
“Then I went to a bank. I will never forget when I went to SunTrust Bank with an excellent package prepared, and the guy in the bank did not even open the package. After this, I started reading biographies of wealthy people. And the one thing that stuck out was partnerships. I had 150 clients. My clients were mainly car dealers.
I thought, “Out of the 150 people, there must be someone with whom I can partner.” As I went through my day job, I would ask those I was close to, “What do you think of you and I starting a business together? “ Eventually, I ended up with a list of three people. The last person I talked to said to them, “Look at this. Give me the capital to get started.”
“I will own 51 % of the business; you do not have to do anything.” I will do all the work, and you will own 49 % he said, “What are you giving up? I will give up my house. “I will give up my 410 K plan.”
Admittedly, Karangu got his big break when a friend in Orlando told him of the opportunity at Fairway Ford , a six-acre lot off Washington Road in the booming bedroom community of Evans.
Mr. Karangu saw potential in the dealership. It was modern, in a prime traffic location, and had an upper-income customer base.
He quickly purchased it using his savings and a line of credit through Ford Motor Co., which he used to leverage a bank loan.
According to Wealthy Gorilla, entrepreneurs must make seven sacrifices to succeed in business, and Karangu clearly ticked all the boxes.
Should one be interested in pursuing a business, what advice would Karangu give to a putative entrepreneur?
Says Karangu, “There are so many businesses you can do.” But you have to narrow them down. And the best thing is always to engage in something you are familiar with. And a lack of seed capital should not be a hindrance.
“I will normally tell anybody that I started with no money. I came to the US just like anybody else. Yes, I was fortunate to have brothers and sisters, but none came to me and said, ‘Here is a batch of money; invest in a dealership.’ There is no easy career in this world. I started attending business conferences and talking to people doing what I wanted to do.
“And I heard their stories. I was also able to meet people who finance businesses, and I was able to grow that way,” says this Nyeri High School alumnus, who was ranked the 41st richest black entrepreneur in the U.S. by Black Enterprise Magazine(BEM) in 2013.
Then, on November 1, 1997, he launched his first dealership—Fairway Ford of Augusta, in Georgia—at age 30, becoming the youngest dealer of the Ford Marquee in the United States. This milestone led him to bag the Ebony Magazine 2001 Dealer of the Year award.
One may very well wonder if there is a magic bullet in business.
Hear him speak: “ If you want to be a doctor, you must attend school. You have to read and research. Often, people start a business without researching and then wonder why they failed. By research, I mean if you want to open a restaurant, you have to talk to people who own restaurants.
“Amazingly, we Kenyans are so shy about picking up the phone and going to talk to someone with specific questions. People will tell you how they became successful. Talk to people and listen to how they did it. And you will learn different things.”
In 2002, aged 35, his Atlanta-based motor dealership company, the Ivory Chevy Auto Group, was ranked among the largest minority-owned enterprises in the U.S., grossing over $100 million in sales annually—an equivalent amount to what today’s world’s largest software and programming company is spending over the next five years to open an Africa technology development centre with sites in Kenya and Nigeria.
And his appetite for motor vehicle dealerships was headed north with each passing year.
Interestingly, growing up in the motherland, he intuitively developed a passionate love for the Mercedes Benz brand, believing that cars bearing the three-pointed stars marquee were the world’s ultimate ride.
Coincidentally, on July 1, 2005, Karangu opened a Mercedes-Benz dealership, which became the crown jewel of his new empire. From the word go, it was a shoo-in, setting new records for a Mercedes dealership, as the entrepreneur emerged as one of only five African Americans in history to own one.
On July 14, 2010, he purchased the former Steve Rayman Chevrolet South dealership, the biggest in Georgia, attracting unprecedented recognition by the state government and the business community, and renamed it Ivory Chevrolet.
Then, on April 2, 2012, he purchased Sutherlin Mazda, signalling the beginning of a new chapter in the auto industry.
He went on to own a BMW dealership in Columbia, South Carolina, followed by Volkswagen and Subaru dealerships in the same state.
In 2013, Karangu, then 46, became the first African immigrant to make the coveted list published by BEM.
Over the years, the younger Karangu has been involved in philanthropic work both in the US and in Kenya, earning him, for example, the local state award of Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) in 2012.
What does Karangu think of his storied entrepreneurial journey?
“At that time, for the last 10 years, we had made a lot of money before I decided I wanted to do something independently.” That’s when I went and bought the dealerships. Right now, banks approach me and ask if I want money, and I tell them no, recalling the times when no one would speak to me.
But it is because I did not have a proven record then. But all I will tell you is that a strong idea always prevails, even when lacking money. In my case, the idea was more powerful. Think about it—even in Kenya, when someone gets started, who gives them money?”
Maya Angelou would also echo this truism, saying, “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love.” Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”
Karangu worked 12 hours a day, six days a week, meaning the guy did not have time for a social life. This leads one to ask whether hard work alone is the panacea for business success.
“A good plan comes first.” The love of your work is secondary; you would do it for fun. “Hard work follows along with a little luck,” he says.
Karangu, without a doubt, is a person who became a Croesus through sheer personal grit and self-belief. As a millionaire, his advice is indeed worth heeding.
His parting shot is, “Read about other successful people and surround yourself with positive people.”
Keywords:David Karangu Entrepreneurial Journey:Business Success Tips from David Karangu:US Car Dealership Industry Insights:David Karangu’s Real Estate Ventures in Kenya:Kenyan Entrepreneurs in the US
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The Entrepreneur
Miss Rwanda 2022, Divine Muheto, Faces Drink-Driving Scandal
: Miss Rwanda 2022, Divine Muheto, was arrested for drink-driving, fined, and
detained after a car crash. She expresses regret and seeks forgiveness for her
actions.
From Beauty Queen to Legal Controversy
Divine Muheto, 21, crowned Miss Rwanda 2022, rose to prominence as a symbol of
beauty and ambition. She always believed she had what it took to achieve her childhood
dream of becoming a beauty queen.
Her journey began after high school when she entered the Miss Rwanda competition,
ultimately claiming the coveted title.
Reflecting on her success, she once said, “When you fear, you can’t make anything
different in life, but when you are fearless, a lot of positive things come your way.”
Legal Troubles in 2024
However, her reign as Miss Rwanda has been overshadowed by controversy. In late
2024, Muheto was arrested following a drink-driving incident in Kigali.
Reports from the Rwanda National Police (RNP) confirmed that she was caught driving
under the influence of alcohol without a valid license, resulting in a crash that destroyed
public infrastructure, including a street light pole and palm trees.
The police also noted that Muheto fled the scene of the accident. She was subsequently
fined 190,000 Rwandan francs (approximately $140) and detained.
This incident marked a troubling pattern, as the beauty queen had previously faced
similar charges in September 2023, when she crashed her car into a building while
driving drunk.
Silent Remorse and Public Engagement
Muheto, the daughter of Assistant Commissioner of Police Francis Muheto, has
remained largely silent in the media following her arrest, though her legal team has
expressed that she deeply regrets her actions and has sought forgiveness.
Despite this, she continues to be a public figure, engaged in various activities. Her legal troubleshave raised concerns, but she remains resolute in her belief that life’s challenges present growth opportunities.
Inspirational Messages and Support System
While her parents have largely stayed out of the spotlight, Divine Muheto has continued
to inspire many young people in Rwanda, emphasising resilience and self-improvement.
She once said, “I knew I had what it takes to the last dot,” and even in the face of
adversity, she strives to move forward, learning from her mistakes and striving to make
a positive impact.
She Business
How Margaret Nyamumbo Built Kahawa 1893 from the Ground Up
: Discover Margaret Nyamumbo’s journey from Kenya to the U.S. and how she
built Kahawa 1893 to empower women coffee farmers, achieving business
success and social impact
Early Life and Education: Pursuing Global Opportunities
Margaret Nyamumbo’s entrepreneurial journey began in Kenya, where she grew up on a coffee
farm. However, she moved to the U.S., a decision that significantly shaped her path.
In 2000, she travelled to Smith College, a prestigious liberal arts institution in Massachusetts,
to study economics.
Her desire to study abroad stemmed from the limited educational opportunities available for
women in Kenya at the time. As she later explained, her family encouraged her decision, viewing it as a way to give her the best opportunities for success.
After earning her degree from Smith College, Nyamumbo pursued an MBA at the Wharton
School of the University of Pennsylvania, known for its rigorous business programs.
This solidified her foundation for a future in business, although it was the allure of her roots and a passion for coffee that eventually led her back to entrepreneurship.
From Corporate Work to Entrepreneurship: Embracing Coffee Culture
After completing her studies, Nyamumbo worked in investment banking and consulting, but the world of corporate finance didn’t fully satisfy her ambitions.
It was her return to the coffee industry, deeply connected to her Kenyan heritage, that drove
her entrepreneurial leap. With a vision to support East African coffee farmers, particularly women, Nyamumbo founded Kahawa 1893 in 2018, a coffee brand dedicated to highlighting Kenya’s coffee culture while mpowering local farmers.
The name “Kahawa” is the Swahili word for coffee, while “1893” marks the year when coffee
was first commercially grown in Kenya, grounding her brand in historical significance.
Through Kahawa 1893, Nyamumbo aimed to bring a new approach to the coffee business, one
that not only celebrated East African coffee but also created fair wages for farmers.
Building a Brand with Purpose: Empowering Farmers
Nyamumbo’s vision for Kahawa 1893 went beyond just selling coffee.
She wanted to create a direct impact on the lives of the farmers growing the coffee beans.
The brand’s model incorporated a system where customers could tip the farmers directly via a
QR code found on the coffee bags.
This innovation set the company apart from competitors and positioned it as a socially
responsible business that directly benefited those involved in the production process.
In 2021, Kahawa 1893 hit a major milestone, getting its coffee stocked in Trader Joe’s—the
first Black- and woman-owned coffee brand to be featured there.
This breakthrough moment was significant for Nyamumbo, marking the recognition of her hard work and her commitment to uplifting local farmers.
Overcoming Challenges: What It Takes to Succeed
Despite the challenges of entering a highly competitive market, Nyamumbo’s determination
never wavered. In a 2022 interview with Forbes, she shared her thoughts on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.
“You have to be able to take the punches and keep moving,” she said. Her advice reflects the
reality of entrepreneurship: persistence, resilience, and a willingness to learn from failure are
crucial for success.
Nyamumbo also emphasised the importance of passion. “You’ve got to love what you do, or you won’t have the energy to push through the tough times,” she said.
These values have guided her journey, driving Kahawa 1893 to not only succeed but also to
change the way the coffee industry operates, particularly about fair trade and community
empowerment.
The Future of Kahawa 1893: Expanding Horizons
With her success on platforms like Shark Tank and continued global distribution, Nyamumbo’s
Kahawa 1893 is poised for growth.
Her brand continues to expand its reach, and the emphasis on ethical sourcing, community
impact, and high-quality coffee will likely remain at the heart of her business model as she looks to further innovate in the global coffee market.
Through Kahawa 1893, Nyamumbo has shown that business success is not just about
profits—it’s about purpose, people, and passion.
The Entrepreneur
Paul Mburu Muthumbi: Building Kenya’s Mbukinya Bus Empire
Mbukinya faced tough early challenges: stiff competition, unreliable drivers, and high operating costs. Fuel price hikes and maintenance expenses cut into profits, and banks hesitated to fund small, high-risk PSV businesses. ‘There were days I doubted my choice,’ Paul Mburu recalls, ‘but I believed hard work would pay off.’”
Born and raised in Limuru, Kiambu County, Paul Mburu Muthumbi, now 90, has lived a life that exemplifies resilience and determination.
His story is not just one of personal triumph, but also a testament to the power of persistence in the face of adversity.
As a young man, Paul was passionate about the public transport sector, inspired by the buses that passed through his village. “I always knew I wanted to be involved in transport. I just didn’t know how,” he says.
In 1952, after completing his final exams, Paul found himself navigating the difficult job market.
In 1992, armed with little more than determination, Paul began hawking eggs in Nairobi’s busy streets, trying to make ends meet. “I knew that if I worked hard and kept my eyes open for opportunities, I could eventually do better,” he recalls.
It was in these early years of struggling in the informal sector that Paul learned crucial lessons about customer service, managing a small business, and the importance of reinvestment. “I used every penny from selling eggs to save for the next big step,” Paul explains.
Adding, “It wasn’t easy, but I knew that if I worked hard and kept my eyes open for opportunities, I could do better,” he recalls. Over the next 11 years, Paul saved KSh 6,000, which he used to invest in his first bus—a second-hand vehicle that would mark the beginning of his journey in the public transport sector.
The Birth of Mbukinya in 2000
In 2000, after nearly a decade of honing his entrepreneurial skills, Paul saw a potential opportunity in the public transport sector.
Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, had a growing population, and reliable transportation services were in short supply. Recognizing the gap, he decided to take a bold leap and venture into the PSV industry.
With a small loan from a local microfinance bank, Paul bought his first second-hand bus.
The vehicle cost him KSh 800,000, an amount he managed to secure through a personal guarantee and a strong relationship with the local bank. “I didn’t have much collateral, but my reputation from my small egg business helped me convince the bank to lend me the money,” he says.
Paul registered Mbukinya, a name inspired by his family, and launched the business with a single bus operating on one route in Nairobi.
The early days were tough, with the bus struggling to fill seats and competition from well-established PSV companies. “The first few months were the hardest,” Paul admits.
“The industry was full of players, and many were set in their ways. But I believed in offering better service, and that’s how we started to build our reputation.”
Overcoming Early Challenges
The road ahead was fraught with challenges.
Mbukinya’s initial struggles included fierce competition, unreliable drivers, and high operational costs.
Paul recalls how fuel price fluctuations and maintenance costs often ate into the company’s meagre profits. “There were days when I wondered if I’d made the right choice. But I knew that with consistency and hard work, we could turn things around,” he says.
One of the biggest hurdles Paul faced was a lack of financing to expand his fleet.
In Kenya, many banks are reluctant to lend to new and small businesses, especially in the transport sector, which is viewed as high-risk.
“It was hard to get financial support from banks. They didn’t see the potential in PSV businesses back then,” Paul explains.
However, through persistence, he managed to secure another loan in 2003 from a local bank, this time amounting to KSh 1.5 million (US $.11,27.91).With this loan, he expanded his fleet to three buses.
“The key was to prove that I could repay the loans,” he says. “I made sure that Mbukinya’s buses were always well-maintained and on time. Punctuality became our trademark.”
Building a Reputation and Expanding the Fleet
By 2005, Mbukinya began to gain traction. Paul focused on customer satisfaction, ensuring his buses were clean, his drivers were professional, and the schedules were strictly adhered to.
“A happy passenger is a loyal passenger,” Paul reflects.
This commitment to service quickly paid off, and soon, the buses were consistently full, with more customers opting for his service over competitors.
To further build the company’s reputation, Paul expanded Mbukinya’s services to other major towns in Kenya.
By 2010, the company had expanded its fleet to 10 buses.
He used the profits from his expanding fleet to invest in modernising the buses, replacing older vehicles with newer, more fuel-efficient models. This move helped reduce operational costs, making the business more profitable.
In 2012, Mbukinya hit another milestone when it became one of the first PSV companies in Kenya to introduce an electronic payment system, allowing passengers to pay via mobile money platforms like M-Pesa.
This tech-forward move attracted a new generation of commuters who valued convenience.
Navigating Economic Turmoil and the Role of Banks
As with any business, the road wasn’t always smooth.
In 2015, Kenya’s PSV industry underwent a major regulatory shift. The government introduced new licensing and inspection requirements, which required operators like Paul to invest in fleet upgrades and adhere to stricter safety standards.
“It was a tough time for all of us in the industry,” Paul recalls. “The new regulations meant significant investments in safety equipment and training. But I saw this as an opportunity to differentiate Mbukinya from other operators.”
Despite the financial strain, Paul’s good relationship with banks helped him secure the necessary funding to meet the new regulations.
“The banks saw that we were committed to the business and to complying with regulations. They helped us get through those challenging times,” he says.
In 2018, Paul was able to secure a larger loan to purchase 15 more buses, growing the fleet to over 30 vehicles. His strong ties with financial institutions, built on years of consistent business practices, allowed him to access capital that many of his competitors struggled to obtain.
A Crisis with the Hino Kenya Buses
Despite the steady growth and success, Mbukinya faced a significant setback in 2019. The company had acquired 41 Toyota Hino buses, which had initially seemed like a smart investment.
However, soon after their acquisition, the buses developed severe mechanical problems, causing a major disruption in Mbukinya’s operations. The buses, which were still within their warranty period, posed a serious challenge to the company.
To address the issue, Mbukinya returned the buses to Toyota, who assumed ownership and took on the responsibility of repairing them.
According to Muthumbi, he received KSh 60 million for the buses, but he emphasised that this amount did not fully cover the massive losses the company incurred.
“I had invested billions into those buses, and the repairs took a toll on our finances. It was a huge setback,” Paul explains.
The incident was particularly painful for Mbukinya, as the company had put significant faith in the vehicles, which were expected to bolster the fleet and improve operational efficiency.
The crisis put a strain on Mbukinya’s reputation and finances, requiring both tactical responses and long-term strategy changes.
The Night Ban Controversy
In addition to the challenges with the buses, Paul Mburu Muthumbi also found himself at odds with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) over the controversial night travel ban.
In December 2013, NTSA introduced a policy restricting public service vehicles from operating between 10 pm and 5 am, citing safety concerns due to accidents during late-night travels.
This decision was met with resistance from several PSV operators, including Muthumbi, who felt that the ban was unfairly detrimental to his business.
“The night ban hit our income hard. Losing those nighttime routes meant a significant drop in revenue,” he explains.
As the chairman of the Kenya Country Bus Owners’ Association (KCBOA), Muthumbi was a vocal critic of the policy.
He even threatened to take legal action to have the ban nullified, arguing that it unfairly affected many small PSV operators who relied on night services to stay competitive.
“We’re being punished for an issue that isn’t fully in our control,” Paul said at the time. “We’ll fight this ban in court if necessary, as it directly threatens our livelihoods.”
These challenges were particularly daunting, but they didn’t deter Muthumbi. Instead, he continued to press forward, proving his resilience in the face of adversity.
His ability to navigate these difficult situations further solidified his reputation as a determined entrepreneur in Kenya’s highly competitive transport sector.
Giving Back and the Road Ahead
Today, Mbukinya operates a fleet of 50 buses, covering multiple routes across Kenya and employing over 200 people.
Paul’s story is a testament to his resilience and vision. Beyond business, he has given back to his community, sponsoring educational programs and offering employment to many young Kenyans.
“I’ve always believed that success isn’t just about making money; it’s about lifting others along the way,” says Paul, who has invested in training programs for his staff and offered financial support to local schools.
Looking to the future, Paul is planning further expansions, with a focus on sustainability.
“I want Mbukinya to be a company that not only leads in transport but also sets the standard for environmental responsibility. We’re looking into green technologies like electric buses in the next five years,” he says.
From hawking eggs to running a transport empire, Paul Mburu Muthumbi’s story shows that with vision, resilience, and a willingness to embrace change, success is always within reach.
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