Former Nyeri gubernatorial aspirant Thuo Mathenge is a billionaire with investments across diverse sectors of the economy, including hospitality, real estate, property, and agriculture.
Thuo Mathenge previously claimed he was one the largest employers in Nyeri.
Mathenge studied diploma in medicine at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) before securing a job at the facility.
Speaking to Dr. King’ori on the Wicked Edition, the businessman recalled how he saved and bought several parcels of land.
“The issue was saving in order not to go through what my family experienced at the time. I wanted to change the life of my sisters and my brothers,” he said.
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Thuo Mathenge’s clinics
He later moved to Nairobi where he worked briefly at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) before venturing into entrepreneurship.
Mathebge revealed he started clinics, making a lot of money, which he collected in briefcases.
“I started my clinics, I had more than eight clinics in Nairobi and Kiambu. I also had three chemists. I used to have a lot of money because I would go to my clinics with briefcases to collect them,” he said.
As his clinics raked in good money, he opted to quit the health business to rear chicken in his rural home in Nyeri County.
Thuo Mathenge’s chicken business
Mathenge established Brade Gate Poultry Industry, reportedly the first hatchery in Nyeri.
He invested KSh 25 million to import chicks from the Netherlands before setting up a chicken slaughterhouse.
“I put up a hatchery, and later a slaughterhouse. We started slaughtering and supplying them to my hotels most of which are in Nyeri County,” he explained.
The slaughterhouse has a capacity of 30,000 chickens daily. Despite his success, Mathenge faced a bumpy ride.
Business Daily reported that his poultry farm was placed on the Valley Auctioneers’ hammer to recover a KSh 30 million debt owed to Jamii Bora Bank.
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Mathenge told the court the auctioneers had undervalued his property which he claimed was worth KSh 70 million.
Mbo-i-Kamiti, college
His other investment is Mbo-i-Kamiti, a land-buying company founded to help settle Mau Mau widows and other fighters.
Mathenge disclosed the company was profitable until the KANU regime interfered with its operations.
Under Brade Gate, the billionaire also owns a college, a resort, a wheat mill, a bakery, and chicken and chips outlets across five towns.
He has bought several parcels of land across the Mt Kenya region and has a KSh 800 million hotel in Nyeri.
Kenyan billionaires who sold chicken
Some of the billionaires we see in Kenya today came from humble backgrounds.
These multi-millionaires started from scratch and became wealthy the hard way. In most cases, they had a big dream, a positive mindset, and a go-getter attitude.
Nelson Muguku, the proprietor of Muguku Poultry Farm, was a teacher in his early life before switching to poultry farming.
Muguku reportedly started his poultry farm with two hens and a rooster. He invested KSh 2,000 to establish the business.
In 1965, he expanded his farm by purchasing a 22-acre parcel of land from a Mzungu veterinary doctor. The land cost him KSh 100,000.
On the other hand, President William Ruto often attributes his success in the business and political world to the chicken business.
He disclosed he sells 150,000 eggs per day, out of which he can rake in at least KSh 1.5 million.
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