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Nairobi | Thursday, May 8, 2014
No. 17932
Revealed: Poison that
killed 76 brew victims
SPIRITS OF DEATH | Three distributors arrested as toll from toxic alcohol goes up
Most men drink
because they cant
handle the strong
women in their lives
Many women
indulge to show
their nancial
independence
FILE | NATION
A drunken youth lies by the roadside in Kisumu. According to
Nacada, those who live in towns consume more alcohol than
their rural counterparts. Nairobi and Central regions lead in the
consumption of mainstream alcoholic beverages, while Rift Valley
and Nyanza lead in traditional brews. In Western, 7.1 per cent of
the population drinks changaa.
REGIONS
Top consumers
as percentage of
total population
Mainstream alcohol
Nairobi 15.7%
Central 9.2%
Changaa
Nairobi 7.2%
Western 7.1%
Traditional Liquor
Rift Valley 6.0%
Nyanza 5.1%
Illicit spirits
Rift Valley 2.0%
Nairobi 1.3%
Kenyas
drinking
problem
Just three tea spoonfuls of the chemical are enough to cause death, yet one of the
tested samples contained the industrial solvent in its purest form Story Pg3
The rich drink to
ght unhappiness,
the poor to evade
frustrations Pg 2
News P. 2-11, 16, Back
Opinion P. 12-13
Letters P. 14
County News P. 18-25
World P. 26-32
Business P. 34-39
Sport P. 64-67
INDEX
MPs to seek Senate
backing on poll date
Back Page They want law changed
to push elections to December
Four held in bus
blasts crackdown
P. 6 Police follow leads on SIM
card found at scene of explosion
The power
women in
real estate
DN2 Sue Muraya
and Patricia
Githus take on
property sector
Bid to stop
Anglo Leasing
payout fails
P. 9 Court would be
interfering with MPs
oversight role: Judge
I
t is very hard to get
someone to give a squad
to these days, says John
Njoroge, using the matatu
drivers parlance for part-
time crew who relieve them
so that they can take occa-
sional breaks. All the people
we used to hire have become
enslaved by alcohol.
His views were vindicated
on Tuesday when one of the
survivors of the Embu brew
tragedy told the Nation that
she and her friends wake up
at 5am each day to drink
cheap liquor.
At one point in the countrys
history, alcohol was some-
thing that people indulged in
for relaxation after work. For
many these days, however, it
has become a substitute for
work.
There are those who have ar-
gued that growing inequality
and the resultant disillusion-
ment among the youth is
the biggest problem fuelling
the alcohol abuse epidemic.
The conundrum that this
view does not explain is why
young people of otherwise
sound mind and physical
ability are foregoing oppor-
tunities for economic gain
to drink in hovels that pose
grievous danger to public
health.
A cursory look at those who
have been enslaved by the
dubious beverages leaves one
in no doubt that they are, by
any estimation, the walking
dead. The re long ed from
their eyes not to mention
their loins and they long
lost their dignity and self-
worth and are content to beg
for coins and to lie uncon-
scious by the roadside for
hours on end. By so doing,
they pose to their societies
the danger of wiping out not
just their own generation but
the subsequent one as well.
Like the rats in the fable,
the question that we should
be asking is: Who will bell
this cat?
What work? We get
up at 5am to drink!
COMMENT| Nganga Mbugua
BY CAROLINE NJUNGE
cnjunge@ke.nationmedia.com
O
n a Wednesday two weeks
ago, an oce worker took
the afternoon o to attend
a friends funeral.
That evening, he and other
friends who had attended the
burial met at a bar to see o
their departed friend. They drank
until the following morning.
Like that oce worker, many
Kenyans use every excuse in the
book to indulge in alcohol from a
toast to good fortune, celebrating
a wedding or the birth of a child or
to cope with tragic news, such as
death and divorce. In short, every
occasion presents an opportunity
to reach for the bottle.
Indeed, according to Nacada,
16.6 per cent of the urban popu-
lation consumes an alcoholic
beverage of some sort, compared
to 11.4 per cent in the rural areas.
The report also shows that Rift
Valley leads in the consumption
of traditional brews with six per
cent of its population partaking,
while western Kenya and Nairobi
top the charts in the consumption
of changaa with 7.1 and 7.2 per
cent of their respective popula-
tions consuming the spirit.
Nairobi and Central also lead in
the consumption of mainstream
brews with 15.7 and 9.2 per cent of
their populations making regular
trips to the bar.
It is true that we are drinking
too much, Mr Shadrack Kirunga,
a counsellor, said in an interview
with the Nation yesterday.
He spoke as the death toll from
the lethal brews consumed in six
counties rose to 76, with 181 peo-
ple still in hospital.
Kenyans drink problem, he
said, starts taking root in uni-
versities, where it is fuelled by
peer pressure, easy accessibility
of alcohol, opportunity and the
freedom to do whatever one
wishes with ones free time.
Drinking is a big issue in our
universities, which, unfortunately,
graduates with many of us to our
places of work, marriages, and
other relationships we form.
According to him, Kenyas
drink problem is largely driven
by low self-esteem, especially
among men.
Kenyan men feel that the
women in their lives have become
too strong, too independent, too
smart and too educated this is
dicult for some men to handle,
and so they end up feeling inad-
equate. To deal with this, they
turn to alcohol, he said.
Due to changing economic
roles, men are no longer the
sole providers for their families
and their authority is no longer
absolute. Interestingly, it is not
just the men who earn less than
their spouses who have been
left nursing bruised egos; even
the successful men still feel
intimidated by strong women
surrounding them.
This problem will continue
unless men re-orient themselves
to the new social structure, Mr
Kirunga said.
Mr Paul Mbatia, a sociologist,
said there would be no harm if
Kenyans drunk to relax. However,
the majority do so to escape their
problems.
The poor drink excessively
because they are unemployed,
unable to educate their children,
and unable to full other respon-
sibilities that only money can
full, he said. The rich, on the
other hand, tend to drink more
than they should because they are
unhappy, especially if there is no
peace at home.
The second reason he gave was
that most Kenyans have no idea
what to do with leisure time.
There are people who have
not found a better way to spend
their time, the bar therefore
becomes the most convenient
place to go.
Women, according to Mr
Mbatia, drink to show that they
are liberated. It is their way
of saying, here we are, we are
women, and can do what men
can do.
However, Nacada boss John
Mututho said access to alcohol
was the number one reason turn-
ing Kenyans into alcoholics.
When you get to a point where
10 shillings can get you alcohol,
then you know you are headed
for disaster, he said.
Those in
towns drink
more than
those in
villages,
says Nacada
as counsellor
explains
that the
rich drink
because
they are
unhappy
and the
poor to
overcome
frustration
Experts: Why Kenya
is a drinking nation
CHARLES WANYORO | NATION
A woman breaks down in tears after seeing the body of a relative who
died after drinking the lethal brew that has so far claimed 76 lives. An
expert said insecurity is leading men to indulge in alcohol.
DIAGNOSIS | Men drink because they cant cope with strong women in their lives while women indulge to show independence
When you get to a point
where 10 shillings can
get you alcohol, then you
know you are headed for
disaster.
John Mututho, Nacada boss
Mainstream Changaa Tradional Illicit brew
alcohol liquor
Nairobi 15.7% 7.2% 2.3% 1.3%
N-Eastern 4.3% - - 1.1%
Coast 7.5% 1.3% 4.4% 0.9%
Central 9.2% 0.5% 1.4% 1.1%
Eastern 9.0% 2.1% 4.6% 1.0%
R Valley 8.7% 5.5% 6.0% 2.0%
Nyanza 6.2% 6.2% 5.1% 1.0%
Western 3.8% 7.1% 3.8% -
Source:NACADA 16.6% of urban dwellers use various types of alcohol
compared to rural 11.4%
BREWS OF DEATH
DAILY NATION
Thursday May 8, 2014
2 | National News
PROBE | Ocials rushing to collect all samples
Deaths blamed on methanol
BY JOY WANJA MURAYA
jwanja@ke.nationmedia.com
S
eventy six Kenyans are believed
to be dead and another 181 ad-
mitted to hospital after taking
an industrial chemical, methanol.
After testing some samples of
the drinks that have devastated six
counties, government scientists dis-
covered that a sample from Makueni,
where 16 people have died with 75
still in hospital, was 100 per cent
methanol. A sample from the Embu
drink was 70 per cent methanol.
Methanol, used in manufacturing
as a solvent, can get people drunk,
but it is a deadly poison.
The government experts want
to test all samples and carry out
postmortems before conclusively
establishing the cause of death.
Methanol content
Health Cabinet Secretary James
said: The Makueni sample under
the brand name Countryman
had 100 per cent methanol content
against 0 per cent normal require-
ment while the one from Embu had
70 per cent of the poison. We want to
be certain that all the samples have
been analysed. We shall expect the
law enforcement agencies to take
further action.
According to Mr Macharia, ve
bottles of Countryman from
Makueni contained methanol, which
is never used in the manufacture of
alcoholic beverages.
Scientists at the Government
Chemist said their ndings are not
conclusive because they are yet to
receive samples from all the aected
areas.
Methanol is a type of alcohol used
in industries, but which is unt for
human consumption.
One of the 10 patients admitted
to Kenyatta National Hospital is in a
coma three days after patrons drank
the deadly liquor in six counties.
KNH Chief Pharmacist Tom
Menge yesterday said: We suspect
the patients consumed alcohol that
could have been adulterated with
methanol because they complained
of abdominal pain and blurred vision
while others lost their sight or went
into a coma.
Dr Menge is also a toxicologist,
a scientist who studies the nature
and eects of poisons and their treat-
ment, and said alcohol poisoning can
be reversed if a patient is taken to
a health facility and the correct an-
tidote given.
An antidote of ethanol is given
to neutralise the eect of poisoning,
and this could prevent loss of sight
and other adverse eects to internal
organs like the liver if it had not al-
ready happened, he said.
The patients at Kenyatta had acute
poisoning, meaning they had taken
large doses of poison.
Dr Menge told the Nation that
patients admitted to the referral
hospital presented with signs of
acute shortness of breath, dilation
of pupils and blurred vision, convul-
sions, dizziness, severe abdominal
pain and vomiting are some of the
signs of methanol poisoning.
Methanol is so poisonous that a
teaspoon of the chemical in its pure
form is enough to burn the optic
nerve and cause blindness. Three
teaspoons are potentially fatal.
Public health experts warn that
backyard distilleries using primitive
processes might be making drinks
with very lethal levels of methanol.
The National Authority for Cam-
paign against Alcohol and Drug
Abuse (Nacada) boss John Mututho
said Kenyans have been socialised
to believe that they cannot have fun
without alcohol.
An alcoholic cannot help taking al-
cohol... If they are rehabilitated, then
you reduce the demand for alcohol,
Mr Mututho, whose favourite drink
is milk, said.
He proposed what he called mass
rehabilitation where alcoholics
countrywide can be brought under
one roof and professional counsel-
lors called in to take them through a
90-day recovery programme.
After this, he proposes enrolling
them into the National Youth Service
for three months, where they will get
a sense of discipline. Afterwards,
give them a job, or teach them a
skill that will help them to generate
income, he said.
DENISH OCHIENG| NATION
A compound with beer bottle boxes in Ruai, Nairobi. The deaths have been
blamed on methanol in the drinks.
Government scientists
say industrial chemical
gets people drunk, but
is a deadly poison
Methanol is converted in into
formic acid in the body.
The earliest signs of methanol
poisoning can be hard to distin-
guish from the normal eects of
alcohol.
Within an hour you can de-
velop mild symptoms similar
to alcohol intoxication, which
includes nausea, vomiting and
abdominal pain.
After 12 to 24 hours, one may
get a splitting headache and
blurred vision, which may later
lead to loss of sight.
If not attended to at a health
centre, abdominal pains develop.
The liver is later damaged and
kidney failure follows.
Problems with your heart and
circulation are experienced. Nerve
and brain damage occur before a
person goes into a coma.
This eventually leads to death.
BACKGROUND
What makes the
chemical harmful
Brewer of the
killer liquor
out on bond
BY NATION REPORTER
One of the brewers of the deadly
liquor that has so far claimed over 76
lives was arrested but later released
on bail.
One distributor of the Wings
spirit in Embakasi, Nairobi (name
withheld), had been arrested last
Saturday, but was released on a
Sh10,000 bail.
Yesterday, Embakasi Deputy
OCPD Herman Jefwa said police had
launched investigations to ascertain
claims that the drink was deadly.
Police in Ruai had arrested him last
Saturday, he was later released on
cash bail, he said.
The revelation came after two
brands of alcoholic drinks Wings
and Countryman were identied as
the probable cause of the 76 deaths
in six counties.
Yesterday, Mr Fazul Mahamed, a
senior director at the National Au-
thority for Campaign against Alcohol
and Drug Abuse (Nacada) said one
of the drinks commonly known as
Countryman was being produced
by Comrade Manufacturers.
Two of the company owners have
been arrested.
Circulated illegally
He said the drink did not conform
to the required standards and was
being circulated illegally.
We had called on all brands of alco-
hol to conform to the public standards;
this Countryman is one of the brands
that do not conform, he said.
Kenya Police spokesperson Zippo-
rah Mboroki said that detectives had
launched investigations to establish
the source of the alcohol, those behind
it and its chemical composition.
In the past, brewers added methanol
to make alcohol more potent.
According to Dr Johansen Oduor, a
pathologist, alcohol which is basically
ethanol, mixes with methanol and
when it goes to the liver, it is broken
down to formaldehyde, which can
cause death and blindness.
As gas at room temperature, formal-
dehyde is colourless but pungent.
Dr Oduor said that it is toxic and
also leads to kidney failure and
blindness.
BREWS OF DEATH
DAILY NATION
Thursday May 8, 2014
National News 3
BY CHARLES WANYORO
@CWanyoroh
charlwanyoro@yahoo.co.uk
AND JAMES NGUNJIRI
ngunjirij@ke.nationmedia.com
W
hen Kenneth Murithi
entered a drinking den
at Shauri Yako slum in
Embu Town on Sunday, his only
interest was to enjoy his regular
serving of Kathavuria drink.
On a normal day, a glass of
the ammable liquor is enough
to quench the thirst of the 30-
year-old curio seller.
A glassful of the drink sells at
Sh30. And this is all the money
the St Paul High School, Kevote,
graduate intended to spend that
day.
As he was about to take his
drink, Felista Karimi, a friend,
showed up and requested that
they share it.
Many of the revellers who took
a full glass of the liquor, or more
have since died or are in bad
condition.
I intended to take a glass of
the drink but just before I did,
a friend asked if we could share.
I agreed and we took the glass
together. My generosity may have
saved my life, he recalled as he
sat on the bed at Embu Level
Five Hospital yesterday. He and
three other survivors are sharing
the bed.
Ms Karimi is also admitted to
the same hospital.
Those who take the Kathavuria
spirit say it resembles changaa
and is corrosive.
It is usually very hot when
it comes out of the distillation
containers. If the contents are
more potent, it has a burning
sensation on the throat. One
has to dilute it with water, says
Peter Mukundi.
Ms Karimi says she sensed
something was not right after
taking one sip.
I knew something was amiss.
First it had a strong repulsive
petrol-like smell, then I felt nau-
seated and my stomach felt hot,
she says.
Another victim, a 16-year-old
Form Three student, says she was
asked to take the drink which had
been mixed with a soda by her
boyfriend.
Her uncle is among the dead.
The grandmother is in the same
ward suering from malaria.
Ms Agnes Njeri, 35, is one of
those who lost their sight. She
says luck was not on her side.
The mother of two who was
accompanied by her one-year-
old child, says she usually starts
drinking around 5am.
She says she had taken a glass
at another drinking den before
taking two and a half others at
where the calamity struck.
Ms Njeri says she felt as if she
had dust in her eyes after taking
the lethal drink.
Ms Jane Muthoni says many
people at Shauri Yako start drink-
ing early in the morning and the
provincial administration is aware
of what happens.
We start drinking as early as
5am, says the 52-year-old. I
only took a glass worth Sh70. It
is something like spirit and you
cannot consume it unless you
dilute it as the concoction can
light a re, she said.
She urges Nacada boss John
Mututho to tour the slums and
see for himself the kind of life and
environment we live in and put
an end to this illegal business.
Another victim, Mr Robert
Murithi, 38, says his wife took
him to hospital after she received
news that there had been fatali-
ties among those who had taken
the drink.
I had gone back to my work
as a loader and was minding my
business but I thank my wife since
I have also felt symptoms of the
ailments, he says.
Embu Level 5 Hospital medi-
cal superintendent Gerald Ndiritu
says most of the patients com-
plained of stomachaches, dry
mouths and headaches.
Ms Peris Muthoni, a single
mother of two, says she willingly
oered to go to hospital after see-
ing her friends die.
She says she took the drink on
Monday morning and never no-
ticed any change until when she
started getting reports that some
of her friends had fallen ill.
Sharing drink with
friend saved my life
TRAGEDY | Many of the victims complain of stomachaches, dry mouths and headaches
Most of
those who
took a full
glass or
more either
died or
are in bad
state, says
Murithi,
one of the
survivors
First it had a strong
repulsive petrol-like smell,
then I was nauseated and
my stomach felt hot
Felista Karimi, a resident of
Shauri Yako
CHARLES WANYORO | NATION
Embu Governor Martin Wambora
consoles a victim of the killer drink
at Embu Level Five Hospital yester-
day. Right: A victim of the lethal
drink at the hospital.
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DAILY NATION
Thursday May 8, 2014
4 | National News
KIAMBU
MCAs want alcohol
board disbanded
The County Assembly yester-
day adjourned House business
to discuss alcoholism in the area.
This came a day after 11 peo-
ple at Kawamwangi in Limuru
three from one family died
after taking poisonous liquor,
which landed more than 50 oth-
ers in hospital. Limuru East
MCA John Kaniaru moved the
motion that was seconded by his
Ngewa counterpart, Mr Karungo
wa Thangwa. Mr Thangwa
urged the county government to
disband the Alcohol and Liquor
Licensing Board, saying it had
failed in discharging it mandate
of regulating sale of alcohol.
BY NATION TEAM
newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
T
hree directors of two firms
suspected of making the killer
brews have been arrested.
This comes as the death toll rose
to 76 and those in hospital increased
to 181.
Police said they are investigating
the companies as they suspect them
of producing a brand called Coun-
tryman that caused the deaths in
Kitui.
Suspects behind the production of
another brand, Wings, which led to
the death of six people in Embakasi,
Nairobi, were among those arrested
yesterday.
Disciplinary action
Some suspects have been arrested
and those on the run are being pur-
sued, Interior Cabinet Secretary
Joseph ole Lenku said.
Several chiefs and their assistants
from areas where dozens of people
died after consuming lethal liquor
have been interdicted, he added.
Mr Lenku said that severe dis-
ciplinary action will also be taken
against police ocers in charge of
the aected areas.
The minister put the total number
of people who had died by last evening
at 70 and those in hospital at 181. He
said that in Embu, 34 people had lost
their lives and 99 were in hospital.
In Makueni, 17 had died and 60
were in hospital.
In Kiambu, he said, 10 people had
died while one person was still in
hospital yesterday.
Kitui had six dead and 20 in hos-
pital, while in Muranga, three people
died while one was in hospital.
In a Press statement, Mr Lenku said
the government had directed adminis-
trators and the police to intensify the
crackdown on illicit brews to ensure
the menace is eradicated.
Following the death of 70 peo-
ple after drinking illicit alcohol,
the government wishes to express
profound condolences to families of
the bereaved and tell Kenyans that
action has been taken against those
responsible, he said.
At the same time, the National
Authority for the Campaign against
Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada)
senior director Fazul Mahamed yes-
terday said Countryman is produced
by a Nairobi-based company.
The drink does not conform to
required standards and was being
circulated illegally, he said.
In Embu County, the death toll hit
35 yesterday, up from 25 on Tuesday.
Two police ocers and two chiefs in
the area have been sacked in connec-
tion with the deaths.
Embu Level Five Hospital medical
superintendent Gerald Ndiritu said 10
more people had died at the facility,
while 76 others were recuperating,
some of them in critical condition.
In Makueni County, the number of
deaths climbed from 12 to 16, while
those admitted to Makueni Level 4
Hospital rose from 67 to 75.
Cons for the dead
Meanwhile, ve people were ar-
rested in Limuru with another type
of illicit brew.
The suspects told police that
they sourced the drink from a man
nicknamed Kanji in Kawangware,
Nairobi.
In Embu, Governor Martin Wamb-
ora, County Women Representative
Rosemary Mitaru and Manyatta MP
John Muchiri visited the victims at
Embu Level Five Hospital and called
on well-wishers to help them.
Mr Wambora said they had ap-
proached Nacada chairman John
Mututho, who had promised to do-
nate cons for the dead.
Firms bosses arrested in deaths probe
CRACKDOWN | Chiefs and their assistants in aected areas interdicted
Companies are believed
to be producers of
liquor that has left 76
dead and 181 in hospital
The amendment
is to ensure
the election
date reects
the unique
circumstances
and tradition of
Kenya
Mr David Ochieng
FIFA WORLD CUP
BIG PHIL UNVEILS
BRAZILIAN SQUAD
Veterans Robinho, Ronaldinho
and Kaka excluded from the
23-man lineup. P.66
SPORT INSIDE
BASKETBALL
Oklahoma City Thunder forward
Kevin Durant named NBA Most
Valuable Player. P.64
HEAR ME OUT| Ministrys plans
Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu addresses jour-
nalists after the stakeholders Caonsultative Forum at the
National Titling Centre at Survey of Kenya Field head-
quarters in Ruaraka yesterday. She said the ministry of
lands, housing and urban development has embarked on
an ambitious project of digitising land documents from
survey, adjudication and registration to reduce corrup-
tion in land transactions.
DAILY NATION
Thursday May 8, 2014
Download the NMG PLAY app
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MONEY> Should you multi-task? Habits of most productive people
INSIDE> Landlords using stereotypes to lock out unwanted tenants
DN
Daily Kenya Living
FREE WITH YOUR DAILY NATION.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
We mean
business
Sue Muraya and Patricia Githu are leading
lights in Kenyas property sector, with
footprints in every major Nairobi hotspot.
Inside, their lessons from the highly
competitive and subjective sector
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coverstory
S
ue Muraya does not look like
your usual developer. Or even
sound like one. She looks like
person who should be trading
stocks at the Nairobi Securities
Exchange or maybe negotiating
agreements with diplomats at the
United Nations. Sharp, focused, and
always dressed to look the part, Sue,
however, can teach you one or two
things about brick and mortar.
Not one or two things, actually,
but a whole lot of things. Consider
this: The ever-smiling woman with
eyebrows tweezed into a constant stun
has a footprint in every major property
hotspot in Nairobi, has numerous
ongoing projects worth hundreds of
millions of shillings, and is dreaming
of starting many others.
She is the brains behind Fourways
Junction along Kiambu Road, about
a kilometre from Ridgeways, Lynx
Apartments on Ngong Road, Rosslyn
Heights and Gardens in Gigiri, Spring
Valley Business Park, and her pet
project, the Sucasa apartments o
Mombasa Road at Mlolongo, among
many others.
With such a portfolio, Sue considers
herself an authority in real estate, so
she goes that extra mile to stamp that
self-assurance on everything that she
touches. It might not translate into the
Midas touch popularised by Midnight
Star, the American pop group, in their
self-titled album of 1988, but you can
feel Sue in most of her creations, see
her minimalist, yet extravagant touch
on the nished product.
Her Fourways Junction, for example,
has cluster houses, apartments, oce
blocks, and now a shopping mall, three-
star hotel, a business park, a school,
retirement home, and country club,
while the Rosslyn Gardens and Heights
development, a 39-unit project with
exclusive four- and ve-bedroom villas,
has quietly yet elegantly transformed
the skyline of Gigiri.
A miracle
Patricia Githu is involved in the
construction of Juja South Estate, the
Sunset Park Estate, and a number of
other projects around the country. At
Juja she has put up 257 units including
154 two-bedroom units and 22 three-
bedroom penthouses.
We also have 40 three-bedroom
and 41 four-bedroom town houses,
says Patricia. The project sits
on 30 acres and is going to be a
gated community with schools,
kindergarten, supermarkets, club
house, gym, recreational centre, and
other amenities, all at a cost of about
Sh3 billion.
In a country where banks are still
reluctant to put their money in such
projects, it is a miracle that these two
women successfully pulled o such
multi-million developments. It has not
been easy, they agree, and at the start
of the current boom about 10 years ago,
they both had to look for alternative
nancing options to supplement what
the banks oered them.
Patricia, for instance, is nanced by
ABC and Kenya Commercial banks,
but still relies a lot on personal savings
and o-plan purchases to put up her
houses. Sue also relies on this three-
pronged mode of nancing, but says
Our advice: Get it right from start, nish it o well!
FILE | NATION
Top: A maisonette at Fourways Junction o Kiambu Road,
which bears the characteristic imprints of developer Sue
Muraya (above).
These women are the force behind some of Kenyas multi-million shilling developments in some of
the most exclusive neighbourhoods. They have broken out of their comfort zones and sustained their
market lead in a male-dominated sector through sheer determination, patience, and ingenuity. ALLAN
OLINGO spoke to Sue Muraya, the chief executive of Suraya Properties, and Patricia Githu, the chief
executive of Developing Africa Limited, about their take on the Kenyan real estate sector
that even though it was dicult at
the start to convince banks to pump
money into her projects, the relative
success of what she has being doing
over the past few years, coupled with
the high returns the boom has given
the industry, has got banks suddenly
interested in the eld.
To these women, satisfaction
comes, not from getting the money
to break ground, but seeing people
nd comfort and assurance in their
creations. Because of the dynamic
nature of the industry and its all-year
demand, developers have to be on
their toes if they are to survive the
cut-throat competition. That means
they must package their products to
meet the ever-growing sophistication
of the prospective home owner.
That sophistication, for Sue, is
most evident in the infrastructural
expectations of the Nairobi buyer.
People want amenities such as
access roads, sewerage systems,
shopping malls, club houses, and
childrens play areas, all packaged at
competitive prices. The temptation for
many developers, she says, is either
to do all that and pass on the cost
to the buyer, or ignore such money-
sapping accessories like cabro-paved
roads and parking bays and keep the
house cheap.
As much as most developers would
like to put up aordable houses, poor
infrastructure often discourages them
as it downgrades their developments
or, where it must be improved at own
cost, raises the price of the units,
resulting in low uptake. But we do it
dierently by locking the contractor
to agreed unit prices so that we do not
have uctuations that inconvenience
buyers, she says.
Over the years, Patricia and Sue
have observed a growing interest in the
property market, but, unfortunately,
that interest is being suppressed by
high lending rates by banks. Most
home buyers would rather go the
mortgage way, but in a scenario where,
according to Sue, the rates are almost
twice the base lending rate, few would
dare ask for mortgage nancing.
But, even as lending rates stifle
the industry, the outlook, at least
for both Sue and Patricia, is quite
encouraging.
The quality of workmanship and
expectations speak volumes about the
industry, says Patricia. The prospects
for the future look good because the
demand is increasing against a low
supply, therefore no developer can
single-handedly satisfy the market.
We have come from a time where
real estate was for mature people to
a time where it is the in thing. One has
to either own land or a house. And if
that thinking persists, it will keep us in
business for a long time to come.
Their dream is to oer both high-
end and low-end housing, but it is
the latter that has proved dicult
to achieve. The industry is currently
As much
as most
developers
would like
to put up
aordable
houses, poor
amenities
often
discourage
them as they
downgrade
their
projects.
Sue Muraya,
CEO, Suraya
Properties
2
DAILY NATION
Thursday
May 8, 2014
statusreport
coverstory
BY KIARIE NJOROGE
gkiarie@ke.nationmedia.com
THE VALUE of the countrys building plans and
buildings completed rose by a signicant 34.2 per
cent in 2013 to Sh243.1 billion, from Sh181.1 billion
in 2012. The bulk of these were in Nairobi.
Nairobi County registered an increase of 41.1
per cent to stand at Sh190.6 billion in 2013. This is
partly explained by increased activity in real estate
to cater for rising demand for housing due to
rapid population growth in urban areas, says the
Economic Survey 2014 released last week.
However, commercial bank loans to the sector
grew the slowest in recent years at only 2.3 per
cent to stand at Sh70.8 billion from Sh69.1 billion
in 2012. This was only a Sh1.7 billion dierence,
indicating a stagnation prompted by sky-high
interest rates. This is signicant when compared
with the growth in previous years.
In 2010, banks advanced Sh32.6 billion to the
construction sector. This jumped by a massive
Sh18.2 billion in 2011 to Sh50.8 billion. In 2012 this
again grew by Sh18.3 billion to stand at Sh69.1
billion.
Even with the tremendous increase in the value
of plans approved, on the ground, growth has
been sluggish. The value of new private buildings
completed in main urban towns stood at Sh55.2
billion, an indicator that despite approvals,
the cost of credit may be leading to a slower
completion rate.
The growth in the sector led to a 12.2 per cent
growth in wage employment in the construction
industry, from 116,000 to 130,000. Cement
consumption increased by 6.9 per cent to 4.266
million tonnes.
An index that measures the changes in cost of
construction inputs (materials and labour) showed
that the prices had gone up by 7.2 per cent from
5.6 per cent in 2012, a development that should
worry developers. Individually, the cost index of
materials went up by 5.7 per cent.
The increase was due to a rise in cost of
material inputs such as timber, hydrated lime, fuel,
bitumen, and structural steel, said the survey.
Labour costs are also on the increase, with the
survey reporting that this is mostly on account
of increase in statutory minimum wages, as set
by the government in May 2013. The only respite
is that the government declined to review the
minimum wage this year, citing the need to
consult employers. The survey shows that other
counties are yet to pick up pace, with the value
of building approvals in the 46 counties at Sh52.5
billion in 2013 from Sh46 billion in 2012.
Although Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and
Kili counties recorded an increase in the value of
reported private building works completed, their
contribution to total building works completed
remained low, said the survey.
It further said that the sector is reecting the
current economic growth trend in the country, a
pointer that the slowdown in the sector could be
pulling down the national economic growth rate.
Investment in housing and related services
impacts on the national income by triggering
additional investments in building materials
production and fabrication, transportation,
marketing, and employment creation.
High cost of credit blamed
for slower completion rate
Our advice: Get it right from start, nish it o well!
debating whether it is possible, under
current policy and infrastructural
and nancing conditions to really
put up low-cost housing and still
remain profitable. The thinking is
that, with prevailing land prices and
material costs, low-cost housing can
either be low-quality or incentivised
by the state.
Sue, however, has decided to go it
alone as she delicately balances the
needs of the middle income earner and
those of the lower segment, for whom
housing remains an unmet need.
We are trying to achieve this by
coming up with different housing
models that cater for different
segments through appropriate
pricing. If, for instance, you would
like to own a Sh2 million house but
do not have the money in cash, the
easiest way to go about it is to pay
the deposit at construction stage, then
start saving and paying in tranches as
construction continues. By the time
you move into your house, its value
will have appreciated way above the
initial Sh2 million costing.
It is not easy to quantify the success
of her Sucasa project in Mlolongo (she
says it has proved to be quite a hit),
which seeks to bring home ownership
closer to the unbanked at low prices.
Her Sh900,000 bed-sitters target the
young investor looking for a place to
start the climb up the ladder, but she
also has one- and two-bedroom units
that start at Sh2.1 million.
Most Kenyans cannot qualify for
mortgage but they save through saccos
and chamas. This means that they can
aord these low-cost houses without
the pain of high interest rates. All we
need is more developers going this
way, more investors thinking of the
man or woman who cannot aord a
mortgage, and you would not believe
how the industry would take o.
Most of the clients we interact with
apply for mortgages but some do not
qualify. This does not means that we
do not work with them. We have to sit
down and come up with a way out so
that they do not fail to purchase the
houses, says Sue.
Email the writer at aolingo@ke.natio
nmedia.com
MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION
A town house at Juja
South Estate.
MARTIN MUKANGU
Top: A section
of Juja South
Estate in Juja,
the brainchild
of Patricia Githu
(above).
DAILY NATION
Thursday
May 8, 2014
3
Lands oce closed
for 10 days
Lands Cabinet secretary Charity Ngilu
announced a 10-day suspension of services
at the lands oce in Nairobi to enable her
ministry to conduct an audit of its registries.
The auditing of the Central, Nairobi, and
Records Registry is meant to improve service
delivery, Ngilu said. The closure became
eective on Monday this week. The services
to be aected include registration of land
documents, searches, stamp duty payments,
land rent payment, and application for
valuation and processing.
Others are payment of allotments,
application for sub-division of land, settlement
programmes, and land adjudication.
Services are expected to resume on
Monday, May 19.
PIC wants Chinese
rm investigated
The Public Investments Committee has
recommended that the Ethics and Anti-
Corruption Commission (EACC) investigate all
construction projects awarded to China Jiangxi
International Kenya by the National Social
Security Fund (NSSF). This follows a probe
into the controversial tender award for the Sh5
billion Tassia II project in Eastlands, Nairobi.
The Chinese rm was recently awarded the
tender for the extension of the Hazina Trade
Centre in Nairobi.
PIC said NSSF had awarded China Jiangxi
at least ve real estate development contracts
in the recent past. This has raised concerns of
possible collusion, prompting the call for the
anti-corruption body to investigate the tender
awards.
According to the committee, NSSF lost
more than Sh500 million through variation
of bid prices for contracts awarded to China
Jiangxi in the past ve years.
Six NHC ocials on
corruption charges
Six former National Housing Corporation
(NHC) senior ocials are facing charges of
illegal house allocations. Former managing
director James Ruitha is charged with
using his oce to irregularly allocate three
houses developed by the corporation to his
family without the approval of the allocation
committee. Former secretary Elizabeth
Mbugua and nance manager Manasseh
Wandabwa are charged with failing to
disclose their interest while participating in
the proceedings of the allocation committee,
which allocated them and their spouses six
houses. Former technical manager Bernard
Ogolla, legal ocer William Keitany, and
chief estates ocer John Agutu face charges
of using their positions to inuence NHCs
allocation of houses in dierent parts of the
country. The trial begins on May 12.
Rents in Nairobis
satellite towns rise
Despite signicant commute periods and
cost, rents in Nairobis satellite towns and
outskirts have risen to match those near the
city. Average rents recently rose to between
Sh18,000 and Sh30,000 per month for a
two-bedroom apartment, spurred by rising
demand. The trend threatens to leave the
lower middle-income earners with little option
but to pay landlords a signicant chunk of
their monthly earnings.
Kitengela, Ongata Rongai, Ngong, Juja,
Ruai, Kikuyu, Ruiru, Kiserian, and Athi River
are some of the areas where, several years
ago, one could rent a decent, two-bedroom
apartment for Sh13,000. High mortgage rates
have pushed potential home buyers into
renting, which could partly account for the rise
in rents.
propertybriefs
WITH KIARIE NJOROGE
DN STYLE
BY ANITA CHEPKOECH
Twitter: @CTAnita
achepkoech@ke.nationmedia.com
W
en Miriam Chaka was
transferred from Eldoret to
Kisumu, she had no clue
where she would spend her
rst night. Not wanting to be stranded, she
left Eldoret early in the morning so that she
could begin house-hunting immediately.
However, after an exhausting and fruitless
two-hour search in dierent estates with the
help of a boda boda, she decided to make
do with an expensive, single-room in the
upmarket Milimani estate, hoping to nd
more aordable accommodation later.
Interestingly, the landlady questioned
her closely about her profession, religion,
previous tenancy, and reason for moving.
Then, just as she was about to sign the
tenancy agreement, the landlady looked
keenly at her national ID card and asked her
which ethnic community she came from.
When I told her I was half-Kikuyu and
half-Giriama, she told me point-blank that
her husband would not be comfortable with
my presence, adding that she had never
interacted with a Giriama before and was
not sure if they were troublesome. She
then grabbed the contract back from me,
Chaka narrated.
She had another unpleasant experience at
Polyview Estate when a landlady dismissed
her because she was single. She told me
she did not accept unmarried women on
the premises because they had the habit
of snatching peoples husbands, Chaka
recalled.
Searching for a house at short notice is
frustrating, Chaka said, not to mention the
unusual specications landlords require of
potential tenants. Some are based on self-
interest while others are purely tribalistic,
said Chaka.
But her experience is not unique.
Kennedy Mongare, who has been in a
similar situation, asked rhetorically: Of
what concern is my family size, religion, or
tribe to the house owner as long as I pay
my rent and other requirements? I think
they are taking this too far.
He recalled a posting on a social site
which said that getting a house in the
lakeside city was a nightmare but did not
pay much attention to it until he found
himself in just such a situation.
When the surname was difficult to
place, some landlords sought to unearth
the ancestral origin of a potential tenant,
which is unfair. I think it breaches
ones constitutional freedom from
discrimination, he said.
Nevertheless, the practice continues,
with stereotypes about people from certain
tribes being dirty or clean, easygoing, hot-
tempered, mean or generous being used by
some landlords to lock out tenants.
According to Mr Charles Omondi, a
manager at Seasons Comfort Rooms in
Bomet town, dierent apartments have
dierent rules depending on the owners
interests. He says some do not accept
families for fear that the children might
be destructive while others prefer families
because they perceive them as stable.
He says that bachelors are unwelcome on
most premises with shared facilities such as
a washrooms since they are seen to be too
lazy to undertake collective responsibilities
like cleaning.
Married women are wary of single
women, whom they see as a threat to
their marriages.
House managers get pickier when
accommodation is scarce. Those who
manage prime houses will soon ask for
a certicate of good conduct from tenant
due to insecurity in the country, Mr
Omondi said.
Mole Properties Agency manager Mr
Kimeli Cheluget, who manages properties
in Eldoret and Kisumu, defended landlords,
arguing that the seemingly discriminatory
specifications are inevitable to ensure
smooth management and security.
He said people living in the same
environment should have similar interests
to avoid conict.
House managers look for people they
can manage without too much pressure. If
you have student tenants, their noisiness
and restlessness might not go down well
with a family with young children. Mixing
these two sets of tenants is a recipe for
disaster, said Mr Cheluget.
He said houses should be built with
specic tenants in mind, adding that he
would rather have some empty houses with
happy existing tenants than earn additional
rent in an unconducive atmosphere.
As much as we strive to protect the
interests of our clients, landlords should
avoid being too harsh and digging too
deeply into the lives of people, unless there
is a security concern, Mr Cheluget said.
When I
told her I
was half-
Kikuyu
and half-
Giriama,
she told
me point-
blank
that her
husband
would
not be
comfort-
able
with my
presence
Yes, I have a house to let,
but only to my kinsmen
PHOTO I FILE
Some landlords
are using all sorts
of stereotypes to
lock out potential
tenants.
BY IMMACULATE WAIRIMU
immawairimu@yahoo.com
Crown Paints Kenya Limited has
announced a 49 per cent increase
in pre-tax prot for the year ending
December 31, 2013. The paint maker
recorded a Sh333.4 million prot in the
year under review compared to Sh224
million the previous year. The companys
Chief Executive Ocer, Mr Rakesh Rao,
attributes the impressive results to
aggressive sales and improved eciency
that saw the companys turnover rise
from Sh4.2 billion in 2012 to Sh5.1 billion
in 2013.
We managed to grow our
sales despite the high interest rate
environment, said Mr Rao. In addition,
year-on-year growth has ranged
between 40 and 50 per cent hence, the
rise in turnover, he said.
The CEO said although the paint
industry had become competitive, the
companys focus on introducing new,
innovative products had paid o.
The high-end product market has
been growing and now accounts for 40
cent of our sales, compared to 20 per
cent two years ago, said Mr Rao.
As part of its expansion strategy and
move to gain from the increased activity
in the construction sector, especially in
the counties, Crown Paints has spent
more than Sh100 million in the rst
quarter of 2014 on opening showrooms
in the major counties, including Nairobi,
Mombasa, Eldoret and Nakuru.
We are also rmly on track on
regional expansion in order to entrench
our presence using a unique model of
setting up mini-plants that feed specic
demands in particular areas, said Mr
Rao. We have aggressive plans to
entrench our regional presence and are
putting up satellite factories in Arusha,
Mwanza and Dar es Salaam at an
estimated cost of (Sh258 million).
Crown Paints records 49pc increase in pre-tax prots
4
DAILY NATION
Thursday
May 8, 2014
BY WILSON MANYUIRA
wilsonmanyuira@yahoo.com
@WilsonManyuira
T
he hallway might be
simply a passage to the
other rooms to many
home owners, so they
tend to overlook its importance.
Says Rebecca Siwa, a professional
interior designer: The hallway
might seem like just a passageway
between various units in your
house, but it is the area you and
your guests rst see when entering
the house.
Consequently, she adds,
brightening it up will not only
make it more attractive, but also
give it a unique personality.
Ms Siwa notes that since
hallways tend to be short on
space and generally dull, the
rst step is to decorate them in a
way that makes them feel larger
and brighter. This can be done
by choosing the right colour(s)
and pattern(s). In addition, it
is important to consider the
personality you want your hallway
to have, as well as the structural
features such as an awkwardly-
placed wall, which you cannot
change with interior design.
The notion is to understand
your hallway to enable you to come
up with ideas that will not conict
with its architectural design, she
says, adding that you cannot, for
instance, put up skylights along
your hallway if it does not have a
glazed ceiling.
Uplighters
If your hallway has such
limitations, you can consider
alternatives such as uplighters.
Uplighters and wall lights get rid
of the dark and boring look most
hallways have, she says, adding
that they are practical and stylish
and give your hallway a welcoming
feel.
Sconce lighting
Alternatively, Ms Siwa suggests
wall sconce lighting. Wall sconces
have a way of creating a great,
dim eect which might not be
appropriate in rooms that require
bright lighting. They are stylish
and give the hallway a romantic
feel. However, they are quite
expensive, she says.
If money is not a problem, Ms
Siwa says, a good alternative is
vintage lights or an array of paper
lanterns.
Art
Art is generally a good way of
creating a focal point, and the
hallway is no dierent. If the art
or wall hangings in your house do
not t into your interior design
scheme, putting them up along
the hallway is a good way to use
them, she says, adding that this
livens up the hallway by giving it
colour.
However, she cautions:
Whatever idea you decide to
implement (whether art, eye-
catching wallpaper, or bright
colour patterns), avoid walls with
neutral shades as this makes them
grubby quickly and easily.
Mirror the walls
Having a mirror or a set of
mirrors along the hallway is
another way of livening it up.
The good thing about having
mirror(s) is that they make the
hallway appear wider. They also
reect light well, making it look
brighter, she says.
There are various options: You
can have a long, wide mirror that
kisses the ceiling and carpet, a
medium-sized one that can be
hanged above the console table
or opposite the wall sconces, or
a set of small, vintage mirrors
placed at vantage positions along
the hallway.
When using mirrors, bear in
mind that they should be placed
strategically, such as opposite
the front door to reect as much
natural light as possible, and
fairly wide for maximum eect,
she suggests.
Storage bench
Most people have a tendency
of dumping shoes, umbrellas,
and other stu along the hallway,
which makes it untidy. To avoid
this, Ms Siwa says, you can
have a very low storage bench
installed to avoid the clutter. The
bench can also serve as a seat and
some even come with key holders
and racks.
Floating storage units will
also do well in the hallway and
the hooks can be used for hanging
jackets, coats and other items,
says the interior designer.
Hardy carpet
Carpets are good for making
a statement about your taste
and style, and putting a durable,
beautiful carpet along the hallway
will not disappoint, she assures.
The idea is to give your family
and friends a warm welcome, and
carpets are ideal, since thats their
point of entry, she says.
However, it is important to
remember that the hallway is a
high-trac area.
In addition
to using
the right
colours
and
patterns,
you should
under-
stand the
structural
features
that
cannot be
changed
with
interior
design
Make your hallway warm and welcoming
PHOTO I FILE
A little artwork goes a long way in brightening up a hallway.
DN in the news
DAILY NATION
Thursday
May 8, 2014
5
BY DCOR JUNKIE
dn2@ke.nationmedia.com
T
hey say that rst impressions last
longer than the moment in which
they occur and though the old
adage says that you should never
judge a book by its cover, it is quite possible
to judge a home by its door. Sadly, many
home owners do not realise the amount of
visibility a door enjoys.
Though many homeowners use their
doors routinely, to visitors, the door and
entryway are the rst space they see upon
arrival. Depending on how these spaces
are decorated, visitors might form early
judgements, some possibly negative, about
your home, much like meeting someone for
the rst time.
This point is always demonstrated when
you are lost in a new neighbourhood.
Often, you will nd yourself knocking on
the doors that look presentable, clean,
and well-maintained. Possibly because
the exterior of these houses depicts the
presumed character of their occupants to
be considerate, stylish (up-to-date) and
thorough, obviously desirable qualities
when you are in such a situation.
The moral of the tale is that a door is the
face of a home and it needs to always look
its best. Here are a few simple ways to make
your door and entrance area as stylish and
inviting as possible.
Obey the weather
Your entrance area is often exposed to
sunlight and rain, which can cause a great
deal of wear and tear. To increase the life
of your door and walkway, it would be a
good idea to cover the space with a canopy.
The canopy can further be inscribed with a
monogram of your family name to give it a
bit of personality. In addition, ensure that
you have a good, sturdy doormat that can
keep dust and mud o shoes.
Yet another consideration to make when
decorating your entrance area is the ooring
material. It is a common trend to use indoor
tiles on outdoor surfaces, but while this may
be visually appealing, some types of tiles
are unsuitable for exterior areas, especially
those that are not hard-wearing and slip-
proof. Such inappropriate ooring materials
can pose a potential health hazard, especially
during rainy spells and, worse still, if there
are children accessing the space without
adult supervision.
Grab a chair
If you are lucky enough to have a fair
amount of space outside your door, you
can make it a semi-formal entertaining area
for your guests. Get an old wooden bench
sanded and painted with two to three coats
of mint green paint and place it at your
entrance area. To add some visual interest
to the space, use a golden picture frame
on a piece of oversized oral print fabric,
preferably one with accents of navy and
royal purple, to perfectly complement the
mint green shade of the bench.
Spell it out
Sometimes words are actually louder than
even the choicest of door accessories, so
tell your guests to feel welcome in large
printed wooden signs. Available in local
curio markets, these dark wood pieces have
words such as Welcome, Karibu, and
Hakuna Matata. To add to the drama of
these pieces, add some inexpensive African
wooden masks alongside the signs. To add
even more drama, paint the walls a deep
blue a shade that will do justice to the
dark colour of the wooden curios.
Get a cup
Dare to be whimsical and get some
oversized teacup owerpots. These simple
but unconventional owerpots would make
great conversation starters as well as provide
a home for your herb garden. To add to the
whimsical theme, get some simple metal
watering cans and paint them in a shade
of pastel pink and place them in groups of
twos or threes around the tea cup ower
pots. Last but not least, get an old ladder
painted with a white weathered nish, x
some brass hooks on each rung of the
ladder, and use the hooks to hang some
ower pots with creeping plants.
Get a grip
On the right door hardware. These little
things count, so take some time, money,
and eort and get the right door handles,
knobs, and even padlocks for your door.
When choosing such hardware, give careful
consideration to the architectural style of
your house, your security needs, and your
budget. Go one step further and buy some
brass numerical signs to write your house
number in style. Better still, you could
paint your door a bold colour like red and
use a large, custom-made vinyl sticker of
your house number to t your door from
top to bottom.
Depend-
ing on
how you
decorate
this space,
visitors
might
form early
judge-
ments,
some
possibly
negative,
about your
home
Give your entry area a chic look
PHOTOS I FILE
The front door
is the face of
the house and
should always
look its best.
DN DCOR
BY IMMACULATE WAIR-
IMU
immawairimu@yahoo.com
Our spaces, just like the
tortoises shell or a birds nest,
should represent individual
preferences. Interior design has
come of age as many people
appreciate the need for creative
interiors.
With growing numbers
interested in interior design
for their homes, hotels and
restaurants, oces, and
integrated retail centres such
as malls, product-specic items
have been developed and also a
great variety in colour and style
options are now available.
Any home owner may be at a
loss regarding what to choose
to awlessly match their spaces.
When it comes to the choice of
furniture, lighting, wall, window,
and oor options, accessories
and many interior design
aspects, one may not know what
type, quality, colour, design, and
even texture to choose.
This is the reason real
estate developers, new home
owners, those moving to new
oces, commercial centres, or
apartments for the rst time
and those intending to remodel
or improve their spaces should
visit showrooms.
With so much to choose from,
though, one may be at a loss
as to what will best suit their
space. At showrooms, one can
see a real representation of the
product or service and gain a
better understanding of the
products and services through
face-to-face interaction.
Developers and potential
home owners are not only able
to see the product or visualise
the service, but also behold, for
instance, the level of sheen, feel
the texture on the product, and
even smell it.
Most current market
information and products
regarding interior design is
also only obtained through
showrooms. It may not be
Why visiting a showroom is important before decorating interiors
possible to advertise all new and
exciting interior design products and
services through the media or brochures.
However, a developer or home owner can
get all the information on the product
or service and see the variety in colour,
design, and texture at the showroom.
One can meet professional interior
designers and other experts at a
showroom. An interior designer will be
able to illustrate the suitability of the
item or service on a particular space. This
way, the user is able to choose what will
awlessly ow in their dcor.
6
DAILY NATION
Thursday
May 8, 2014
DAILY NATION
Thursday
May 8, 2014 7
Title: The Legend of Captain Kidds Island
Author: Shel Arensen
Publisher: WordAlive Publishers
D a y , d u s t , d u t y , d a t u m ,
d y e , d a t e , d a m e , d a m ,
d u a l , d e a l , d e l a y , D u m a ,
d u m b , d u e , d e a l t , d a l e ,
d u e l , d u e t , d u l y , d y e
I turned the coin over
slowly and shook my head.
Thats not as exciting as
thinking it came from Captain
Kidds treasure, I said.
Cheer up, Mato said.
Maybe the real treasure is in
the bottom of that sea cave.
When I grow up, Im going to
explore that cave with scuba
gear. And well nd more than
a Maria Theresa dollar.
I began to shiver with
cold.
Whats wrong, Dean?
Dad asked.
I feel cold and my head
hurts.
Mom came over and put
her hand on my forehead.
Youre burning up, she said
in alarm. She sent the others
home and hurried me to bed
and gave me Panadol to lower
my fever. It didnt help. I woke
up wet with sweat. I started
shivering again.
Dad went to get Dr. Owino.
He took one look at me and
said, Hes got malaria.
Are you sure? my dad
asked. Remember our
encounter with that witch
doctor on Misali Island? Could
this be a sickness caused by
evil spirits?
Dr. Owino rubbed his chin.
It could be, he said. But
this has all the classic signs
of malaria. He turned to me.
Did you get any mosquito
bites on our trip to Pemba
Island?
I nodded and told them
about the bites on my elbow
after sleeping on the slats in
Tanga. They itched the whole
bus trip back to Mombasa, I
said.
Ill draw some blood
in the morning and take it
to a lab in Mombasa in the
morning to make sure. But
for now, lets start him out on
Halfan. He pulled out a small
box of pills. I drank the pills
down with some water.
Dr. Owino prayed before
he left. I fell asleep and
dreamed I was drifting along
in a dhow and pirates stormed
on board led by Captain Kidd
who waved a gleaming sabre
under my neck. Captain Kidd
called for his men to sit on
my chest while they went
through my pockets. I could
hardly breathe. One of the
pirates pulled the coin from
my pocket and called out, He
stole the Captains lucky coin.
He deserves to die.
1 . W o l e S o y i n k a
2 . A r c h e r y
3 . J a n D e K l e r k
4 . A f r i k a n e r s
5 . T r u e
6 . T u t s i a n d H u t u
7 . O r n i t h o l o g y
8 . V e n e z u e l a
9 . E a r t h q u a k e
DN
2
CHILDRENS CORNER
QUIZ
1. Which African author
was rst to receive
the Nobel Prize for
literature?
2. Bow and arrow are
used in which sporting
event?
3. Which South African
president ordered
the release of Nelson
Mandela from prison?
4. South African
descendants of Boers
are known as
.
5. True or false: Blue
men of the desert
refers to the male of the
Tuareg tribe of Northern
Africa.
6. The Rwanda
genocide was a result
of war between the
.tribes
7. The study of birds is
known as?
8. Angel falls, the worlds
highest waterfall is in?
9. What natural
phenomena is measured
on the Richter scale?
BY DANSON KIRETI
BOOKS
JOIN THE DOTS AND COLOUR
RESCUING THE REAL TREASURE OF
CAPTAIN KIDDS ISLAND
CONTINUES TOMORROW
WORD MAKER
How many words can you make from the letters in the box below? The rules
are simple:
1. Each word must start with the highlighted letter.
2. Each letter must appear only once.
3. No plurals
4. No verbs ending in s
5. No words with hyphens or apostrophes
SOLUTION
( ) -
% + $
*
, "
+4.,:"6 5,30/
*44. &%) 8/5: 044. &()
/9-/11/37 '% #45 245/$
#6 &/215 '/2413 ).0/71
Score: 10 Good, 15
Very good, 21 or
more Excellent
BY FELIX K. MAGEZI
CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY
8
DAILY NATION
Thursday
May 8, 2014
CONFIRM YOUR
FATHERS ACCOUNT
DETAILS WITH KCB
MUMIAS BRANCH
CAPITAL LETTERS, PAGE 2 CASH POINT: PAGE 3
You can raise Sh4m from
savings and sacco loan
money
WEALTH
High achievers have crucial lifestyle
routines
P.4-5
WEALTH : DISCIPLINE IS THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF CREATING WEALTH PAGE 6
Pastor helps
his ock build
homes in city
ENTERPRISE: PAGE 6
Customers come
looking for my
goods
FEATURE: PAGE 8
The habits of the
most productive
people
FREE WITH YOUR DAILY NATION. May 8, 2014
Dear Yvonne,
I am an avid reader of your column and
congratulations are in order for your good
work.
I have been seeking answers regarding
my late fathers savings account at the
Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Mumias
branch, all in vain. I now turn to you for
assistance.
My father, Alexander Werimo Rupia,
died in August 2001. At the time, he was
running a savings account with KCB, Mu-
mias branch.
I have attached documents to prove this.
They indicate that his last transaction was
an account balance request which on the
day he lodged it, says he had Sh26,153.65.
I have been investigating what happened
to his money to no avail. All my eorts have
hit a stone wall.
At rst, the bank ocers at the branch
insisted that there was never such an ac-
count. When confronted with evidence,
however, they changed the narrative and
told me that following an upgrade of their
systems, the said account could no longer
be traced.
If my memory serves me right, I know
that even when organisations upgrade
their systems, all the information from
the old platform is normally transferred to
the new software. What happened to my
fathers account? I need answers.
I gave up my pursuit when a bank ocer
informed me that if I insisted on following
up, I should be ready to pay the charges for
undertaking such an exercise. The ocer
indicated that the fee would be well over
Sh10,000.
Kindly, help me unravel this mystery.
William Rupia.
Thank you, William, for bringing
your problem to our attention. We
also appreciate your compliments.
We are sorry for the loss of your
father. It is unfortunate that you have
suered simply for trying to trace the
savings in your fathers account.
We got in touch with KCB, which
responded with speed and concern.
The nancial institution explained
that locating your fathers account
took relatively long because of the
tasks involved in retrieving his de-
tails.
There is, however, light at the end
of the tunnel for you as the KCB Mu-
mias branch manager has invited you
to his oce. According to the bank,
the outlet head would like to conrm
some details with you so that they
can guide you on what to do in order
to solve this case.
Just before we went to the press,
you informed us that you have met
the branch manager.
We wish you Godspeed.
Hello Yvonne,
I am a Second Year student at Masinde
Muliro University taking a Bachelor of Sci-
ence degree in information technology.
I write to complain about the Higher
Education Loans Board. So far, I have not
been awarded any amount since I applied
for nancial assistance even after lodging
an appeal.
As a consequence, my studies have
been aected owing to late payment of
fees, which leads to failure to register for
exams in time.
I study in the same university with my
sister, who is taking an education degree
through private sponsorship. I have siblings
in primary and high school who depend on
our parents.
I applied for my Helb loan using a dier-
ent registration number from the one I am
using now. This is because I changed my
course at some point.
Kindly, help me nd out what happened
to my application.
Kigai
Hi Kigai, we appreciate your taking
time to communicate with us over
your suering.
We have been in touch with the
student nancier, Helb, which con-
rmed that, indeed, your loan appli-
cation has never been approved. Ap-
peals have not borne results either.
Helb has a reason for this. It
explains that your familys income
exceeds the limit set for awarding
loans.
The institution, however, said that
any award of money on appeal is usu-
ally subject to availability of funds.
The student lender also noted that
it has been in communication with
you, urging you to apply for the cash
assistance in the 2014/2015 academic
year. You can also lodge an appeal if
you are not awarded a loan. We urge
you to appeal for the loan in the next
nancial year and wish you success
in your education.
capital letters
Looking for
answers?
Send your queries and daytime
telephone numbers to Yvonne
Kawira: E-mail:
capitalletters@ke.nationmedia
.com
Conrm your fathers account
details with KCB branch boss
LOCAT-
ING YOUR
FATHERS
ACCOUNT
TOOK RELA-
TIVELY LONG
BECAUSE OF
THE TASKS
INVOLVED IN
RETRIEVING
HIS DETAILS.
KCB statement
PHOTO | FILE
KCB Mumias branch boss would like to
conrm some details with you in order
to solve your complain. Please comply.
ONE of Kenyas leading banks has opened
career opportunities for you.
The Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), which
has a footprint in the region, is searching for
fresh talent to strengthen its business.
This is with the aim of responding to the
growing business needs, support both inter-
nal and external customer service delivery
objectives, as well as increase shareholder
value.
The bank is scouting for a forensic investi-
gator who will be mandated with providing
technical support during assignments and
fraud awareness campaigns for the com-
pany. The individual will also be expected
to carry out investigations into cases of
suspected electronic fraud committed
against the bank and customers besides
undertaking fraud awareness campaigns for
the company.
The candidate is expected to hold a uni-
versity degree, preferably in IT, business-re-
lated eld, or nance.
The institution is also seeking to recruit a
head of tax management who will be man-
dated with the provision of technical advice
on interpretation of the relevant tax laws
with respect to new and emerging busi-
nesses.
KCB also plans to hire a relationship
manager investment groups a human
resource business partner, and a head of
compensation and benets.
For more details on these job opportuni-
ties, log on to the companys website.
Interested candidates are expected to
send their applications to the bank by 16
May.
Meanwhile, the Kwale International Sugar
Company has a vacancy for a general man-
ager. The individual is expected to organise,
direct, and manage the millers operational
and project activities. The person will also
be expected to prepare and submit annual
consolidated operational and capital ex-
penditure budget as well as ensure proper
use of resources.
The rm is also scouting for an assistant
general manager to help in planning and
budget preparation as well as the establish-
ment of a modern management system.
The assistant general manager will also
handle environmental and social issues as
well as oversee the infrastructure and civil
works of the estate.
Other duties include overseeing the infra-
structure requirements of the estate.
Interested candidates are expected to
submit their up-to-date professional notes
online to the rm by 16 May.
YVONNE KAWIRA
Bank seeks to
hire head of tax
management,
forensic expert
JOB OPENINGS
MONEY FIGHTS FOR YOUR RIGHTS >> WITH YVONNE KAWIRA
is published every week by the Nation Media
Group Limited. It is distributed free with every
Thursdays Daily Nation. Nation Media Group
Limited, 2011. All rights reserved. Unsolicited
manuscripts, artwork, transparencies are submitted at the senders risk.
While every care will be taken on receipt of such material, the Nation
Media Group Limited cannot accept responsibility for accidental loss or
damage. Email money@ke.nationmedia.com
money
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Joseph Odindo | GROUP MANAGING EDITOR: Mutuma Mathiu | EDITOR | Wachira Kangaru
SUB-EDITOR | James Wambua | PHOTOS EDITOR: Joan Pereruan | STAFF WRITERS: Immaculate Karambu, Grins Omwenga, Muthoki Mumo,
John Njiru | CONTRIBUTORS: Isaac Ngaru, Charles Wokabi, Lilian Ochieng, Patrick Wameyo, Joshua Masinde | PRODUCTION EDITOR : Peter
Wangai | REVISE EDITOR : Mary Wasike | CHIEF GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Rogers Mogusu | SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Nzisa Mulli, Andrew Anini,
Hassan Ibrahim, Michael Mosota | GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Dennis Makori, Alice Othieno, Ken Kusimba, Benjamin Situma, Joy Abisagi, Virginia Borura, Oscar
Anaswa, Teddy Murimi, Gladys Wangui | COVER GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION: Hassan Ibrahim
Thursday May 8, 2014 DAILY NATION
2 money
THE FIRST STEP towards
realising a nancial goal is to
have clearly dened, measur-
able, and realistic objectives
and an action plan of how to
get there.
You already have a side
business that supplements
your income and enables
you to pay for your Mas-
ters degree. You could
develop a business plan
to seek ways to enable
you to identify other op-
portunities for growth in
the business, consequently
increasing the prots and
therefore making more sav-
ings. The fact that you have
already set your goal and
the budget puts you a step
ahead towards achieving
your dream.
The purchase or con-
struction of a home is
probably one of the largest
nancial undertakings for
most families and as such,
requires a lot of thought
and careful planning. Every
nancial goal needs to be
well dened to enable you
to gure out where to do
some ne-tuning, and then
create a plan of action that
you can stick with through-
out the period. The key to
building your savings is
making it a routine habit,
and it should not be dened
by how much you earn, but
how much you are able to
save.
Saving is a culture that
one needs to exercise with
a lot of determination. You
will need discipline and an
aggressive savings plan to
achieve your goal. Having a
monthly budget and track-
ing all your expenses will
enable you to assess your
nances and see where and
how you spend your money.
The simple process of do-
ing this will make you think
twice about expenses and
reduce spending on things
that you buy because you
want them, and not because
you actually need them.
There are various ways of
trimming non-essential ex-
penses without making big
changes to ones lifestyle.
Finally, you will need a
plan to invest the money
you are saving in order to
make more money. It is ad-
visable to stick to a low-risk
investment, for instance, in-
terest earning savings plans
in unit trusts.
While it is tempting to
invest your savings for a
higher return, beware that
there is always a risk that
an investment may lose
money. Alternatively, bear-
ing in mind that you have
accumulated savings in
your saccos, you could bor-
row since sacco loans are
usually easier to service due
to their low interest rates
compared to banks. The
fact that most saccos allow
you to borrow up to three
times your savings is an
added advantage. Whether
your goal is to build a
house or meet some other
financial obligation, hard
work, determination, and
discipline in saving goes a
long way in accomplishing
your goals.
HELLO ANNE. Thank you for your advice on matters personal nance.
I am a parent with average income living in Nairobi. Quite often, I nd myself si-
multaneously putting money away for retirement, for paying business or property
taxes, saving for a holiday say in the US or Dubai besides for our children college
fees.
How can I track my progress towards all these dierent goals in order to realise
success?
Are there accounting tools or software that I can turn to?
Adrian
cash point
ANGELS, venture capitalists,
private equity rms, and mutual
funds all evaluate investments on
the same four basic criteria. At the
various stages of a companys evo-
lution from brilliant-insight baby to
billion-dollar behemoth, those in-
vestors will weigh your attributes
dierently.
When you pitch your company
for funding, focus on these four
topics:
Sustainability
Demonstrate what is special
about your company and how you
will keep that strong position. Is
your oering fresh and dierent
with a unique solution for the cus-
tomer? Are your costs structurally
lower or your service super fast
because you invented incredible
algorithms? Show that you have
something different from the
pack, and that is what your target
market wants.
Some businesses grow and
thrive with execution being their
main dierentiator: Think high
volume selling or complex logis-
tics businesses. If execution is
your pitch for why you are dif-
ferent, be sure your track record
backs that up.
Team
For young companies, the team
is the most important aspect an
investor considers as your market
and product may not exist yet.
What unique combination of skills
and experience makes your lead-
ers the potential winners? As you
scale your business, your execu-
tion will demonstrate why you are
right for the job.
Protability
Money, prots, and cash ow
are ultimately what create value.
On your way to protability, your
company may become strategi-
cally valuable and might be ac-
quired early or IPO when public
investors believe you will become
protable soon.
You have to show how your
business model, the costs to ac-
quire and serve customers, will be
protable. Understand the margin
structure of comparable compa-
nies and show how you will track
versus their paths.
Later-stage companies and in-
vestors focus on the nancials.
Public investors might focus
almost exclusively on your fi-
nancials, looking for expanding
margins and prot growth. For
younger companies, your target
model and cash needed to break
even are foremost concerns.
Market
Investors want to know that
your company has plenty of room
to grow. Markets can be sized
bottoms up or tops down. Try
both methods to check if your as-
sumptions are reasonable.
As a long-time venture investor
and previously the head of inves-
tor relations for two public com-
panies, these four factors are the
pillars of successful pitches and
investment decisions.
Clearly communicate your com-
panys market, strategy, model,
and people, and you will be speak-
ing your investors language.
ENTREPRENEUR
SME SUCCESS
What investors need to know about your startup
You can construct
Sh4m home using
savings, sacco loan
OPINION
Anne Maina,
research
analyst,
Zimele
Research.
Write to:
nancialmake
over@ke.natio
nmedia.com
FILE | NATION
The purchase or
construction of a home is
probably one of the largest
nancial undertakings for
most families.
SAVING
SHOULD
NOT BE
DEFINED BY
HOW MUCH
YOU EARN,
BUT HOW
MUCH YOU
ARE ABLE
TO SAVE.
Anne Maina
I EARN Sh120,000 and my husband gets Sh70,000 a month. I also import and
trade in womens and childrens clothes, handbags, clutchbags, body butters, child
proong materials, leather belts, dolls, shoes, and sandals. I make about Sh90,000
in a good month, which I use to pay my Masters degree.
We have a plot in Ruai, Nairobi. We would like to build Sh4 million house without
having to take a mortgage. Currently, my husband has Sh600,000 savings in his
sacco and I have Sh500,000 in mine. Please, advise on the best possible way for us
to raise the Sh4 million. Thank you. Lynette
NEXT WEEKS QUESTION
FINANCIAL MAKEOVER >> YOUR GOAL AND THE BUDGET PUTS YOU A STEP AHEAD TOWARDS ACHIEVING YOUR DREAM
FILE | NATION
You should
clearly
communicate
your companys
market, strategy
and people
to potential
investors.
DAILY NATION Thursday May 8, 2014
money 3
Productive people appear to have
the ability to do it all, but that is only an
impression. The truth is that they have
gured out some simple but important
lifestyle habits that most of us have not
yet mastered.
Here are 10 simple things that produc-
tive people are doing better than you
at the moment:
1
Get enough sleep
Your body literally restores itself
during sleep. In the four stages of a
healthy sleep cycle, the rst three are
all dedicated to what is called Non-REM
sleep and specically act to restore the
physical body. You know from experi-
ence what a bad nights sleep feels like
the next day. You feel slow, sluggish, and
foggy. Your brain is not ring on all its
cylinders. You body is craving carbohy-
drates and sugar. You need to make sleep
as important as your waking day and de-
vote yourself to at least six hours of good
sleep a night.
2
Take a break
You are not meant to sit at a
desk or computer for eight to 12
hours a day, and yet many people do.
While that may be the reality of your
entrepreneurial path, take breaks in your
day. Get up, walk, move, and stretch.
Try a standing desk platform for certain
work portions of the day. Take a real
break to enjoy a healthy meal for lunch
and follow it up with a walk.
Time is always precious, but breaks
and moving will make you more pro-
ductive and help your body to stay well
adjusted in the long run.
3
Outsource to create time
Speaking of time being precious,
get some time back by outsourcing
anything and everything you can aord.
Get a virtual assistant, hire a freelance
designer, book your rst CPA just
start outsourcing as much of your busi-
ness as possible to get some time back.
4
Work at the best time
One thing that is great about
the entrepreneur lifestyle is the
ability to be exible. Really productive
people know when they are at their best.
Some love to cram out huge productivity
sessions after 10pm when the family is
in bed while others know they shine rst
thing in the morning.
Whatever you bodys naturally most
productive time, do most of your work
then.
5
Prioritise everything
Productive people know that
there are urgent things, and then
there are important things. They have
mastered the skill of letting go of ur-
gency for what is actually important and
a priority. You will not be able to do it all
every day. Prioritise and plan to make
the most ecient use of your time.
6
Take actions vs over-analyse
Productive people know that
good planning does not work
without taking action, too. It is impor-
tant to plan, but many will get lost in the
perfectionist trap.
It is better to take action on a good
plan than to sit on a perfected plan and
wait. Productive people create the future
by taking action.
7
Get organised
If time is always of the essence,
productive people under-
stand that having an organised
life means saving time.
It takes less time to label
something properly or put
something back properly than
it does to try to nd it later in a
heap of disorganised junk.
Get organised in every aspect of your
life for maximum productivity.
8
Do not multi-task.
Some people make the case for
multi-tasking and some have even
managed to pull this amazing feat o,
but let them be the exception and not
the rule.
Productive people realise that multi-
tasking is a myth and they choose to
stay focused. So should you.
9
Create and uphold boundaries
Boundaries tie together many of
the things productive people do.
They keep productive people organised
and help them prioritise.
When you make boundaries and
uphold them, you save yourself a lot of
trouble in the long run, trying to g-
ure out and analyse all the exceptions.
Boundaries are a great way to organise.
Come up with your own and try them
out.
1 0
Shop online
Productive people know
the value proposition of time
and, when possible, shop online. It is a
simple trick that can save a lot of time.
There are shops online that sell liter-
ally everything. From grocery service
delivery to bathroom supplies and more,
most of your everyday needs are avail-
able online to be delivered to your door.
That saves a lot of time and, in most
cases, money.
ENTREPRENEUR.COM
Expert tips to help you become more productive
PRODU-
CTIVE
PEOPLE
REALISE
THAT MULTI-
TASKING
IS A MYTH
AND THEY
CHOOSE
TO STAY
FOCUSED.
SO SHOULD
YOU.
Cover
Avoid the sugar crash that comes from
energy drinks and improve your brain
function and health by swapping them
out for fruit.
WEALTH
High achievers have crucial lifestyle
habits that, while simple, most of us
have not yet mastered
CAUTION >> IT IS IMPORTANT TO PLAN, BUT MANY WILL GET LOST IN THE PERFECTIONIST TRAP
FILE I NATION
Shopping online
saves a lot of
valuable time and,
in most cases,
money. You can
as well try this out
to step up your
productivity.
DAILY NATION Thursday May 8, 2014 4 money
Expert tips to help you become more productive
08
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Discipline is the nuts and bolts of wealth creation. Page 6
Customers come
looking for my
pumkin chapati
ENTREPRENEURSHIP is a ho-
listic lifestyle of better health,
better ideas, and a better lifestyle
that you are working toward.
To make those improvements
means updating your habits and
to change your habits takes com-
mitment and some tricks. One
trick that has been helping make
change for many is the idea of a
swap. From addictions to smoking
cessation to weight loss, the idea
is that you do not go cold turkey
but you swap the habit you have
for one that is better.
To be an improved version of
yourself, here are simple daily
swaps you can make:
Mind: Swap out radio for pod-
casts or audio books
You are in the car or at the gym
listening to workout mixes or the
radio. That is great and there is
nothing wrong with that kick of
motivation when you need it.
However, one simple swap you
can make is downloading audio
books and podcasts instead. This
has a few cool ramifications. One
is that you are getting smarter
and learning.
Whether it is a self-improve-
ment book or a business-related
podcast, you are learning during
under-utilised times. The second
key factor of this swap is that by
listening to it now in the car, you
are freeing up time later in your
schedule when you might other-
wise have been reading.
Finally, there is the added ben-
efit that during those podcasts
or audio books, you could have
major strikes of inspiration that
open up where the radio would
never have taken you.
Body: Swap out sugary energy
drinks for fruit
Avoid the sugar crash that
comes from energy drinks and
improve your brain function and
health by swapping them out for
fruit. Fruit can give you the boost
of natural sugars and energy you
need in a much healthier way. It
is a simple swap that can make a
huge difference in your health.
The other added benefit of this
swap is that consuming energy
drinks can sometimes have the
unwanted side effect of keeping
you too stimulated resulting in
poor quality sleep or less sleep.
That makes you tired, which
makes you want an energy drink
the next day. Break the cycle with
this simple swap and see your
mood and sleep improve.
Spirit: Swap out cannot with
how can?
Nothing is more depressing than
a bad attitude. Naysayers and
downers are no fun to be around.
Are you one of them? Stop focus-
ing on cannot and start asking
yourself and others how it might
just be possible.
Opening yourself up to the pos-
sibility of how can I? leaves a
lot of space for good ideas and
inventive solutions in life and
business.
It is a life approach that starts
with swapping out your vocabu-
lary and can open you up to pos-
sibilities instead of closing doors
on ideas.
ENTREPRENEUR.COM
MONEY MATTERS
Simple swaps that will see you become a better entrepreneur
CAUTION >> IT IS IMPORTANT TO PLAN, BUT MANY WILL GET LOST IN THE PERFECTIONIST TRAP
DAILY NATION Thursday May 8, 2014 money 5
Expert tips to help you become more productive
08
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Discipline is the nuts and bolts of wealth creation. Page 6
Customers come
looking for my
pumkin chapati
ENTREPRENEURSHIP is a ho-
listic lifestyle of better health,
better ideas, and a better lifestyle
that you are working toward.
To make those improvements
means updating your habits and
to change your habits takes com-
mitment and some tricks. One
trick that has been helping make
change for many is the idea of a
swap. From addictions to smoking
cessation to weight loss, the idea
is that you do not go cold turkey
but you swap the habit you have
for one that is better.
To be an improved version of
yourself, here are simple daily
swaps you can make:
Mind: Swap out radio for pod-
casts or audio books
You are in the car or at the gym
listening to workout mixes or the
radio. That is great and there is
nothing wrong with that kick of
motivation when you need it.
However, one simple swap you
can make is downloading audio
books and podcasts instead. This
has a few cool ramifications. One
is that you are getting smarter
and learning.
Whether it is a self-improve-
ment book or a business-related
podcast, you are learning during
under-utilised times. The second
key factor of this swap is that by
listening to it now in the car, you
are freeing up time later in your
schedule when you might other-
wise have been reading.
Finally, there is the added ben-
efit that during those podcasts
or audio books, you could have
major strikes of inspiration that
open up where the radio would
never have taken you.
Body: Swap out sugary energy
drinks for fruit
Avoid the sugar crash that
comes from energy drinks and
improve your brain function and
health by swapping them out for
fruit. Fruit can give you the boost
of natural sugars and energy you
need in a much healthier way. It
is a simple swap that can make a
huge difference in your health.
The other added benefit of this
swap is that consuming energy
drinks can sometimes have the
unwanted side effect of keeping
you too stimulated resulting in
poor quality sleep or less sleep.
That makes you tired, which
makes you want an energy drink
the next day. Break the cycle with
this simple swap and see your
mood and sleep improve.
Spirit: Swap out cannot with
how can?
Nothing is more depressing than
a bad attitude. Naysayers and
downers are no fun to be around.
Are you one of them? Stop focus-
ing on cannot and start asking
yourself and others how it might
just be possible.
Opening yourself up to the pos-
sibility of how can I? leaves a
lot of space for good ideas and
inventive solutions in life and
business.
It is a life approach that starts
with swapping out your vocabu-
lary and can open you up to pos-
sibilities instead of closing doors
on ideas.
ENTREPRENEUR.COM
MONEY MATTERS
Simple swaps that will see you become a better entrepreneur
CAUTION >> IT IS IMPORTANT TO PLAN, BUT MANY WILL GET LOST IN THE PERFECTIONIST TRAP
DAILY NATION Thursday May 8, 2014 money 5
BY SAMMY KIMATU
skimatu@ke.nationmedia.com
He would peel potatoes
to get a meal. Garages were
his abode at night. This was
the teenage life of George Ka-
munya in Nyeri town.
Today he is a preacher who
says he is doing things dier-
ently from his peers. Besides
giving my ock spiritual nour-
ishment, I teach them a lesson
or two in investment, he says.
The former homeless man
now known as Bishop Ka-
munya heads the Oasis of
Grace Church located at OTC
in Nairobi.
The preacher says that
about three quarters of people
in Nairobi live in poor neigh-
bourhoods while many more
are homeless. The man of God
says the squalid life he led has
seen him come up with ideas
on helping others come out of
a similar quagmire.
Even if you preach to peo-
ple who are homeless and you
cant settle them, the spiritual
nourishment leaves a vacuum
in their lives since they are hu-
man. There is a need to change
them. The church should be a
place of rescue for human
beings, Mr Kamunya told
Money.
And instead of turning to the
now popular panda mbegu (sow
the seed) and anointing oil, Mr
Kamunya has come up with a
plan which he says his church
members can tap into to come
out of the yoke of poverty.
His organisation, Grace
Time Society (GTS), has ben-
eted 150 people.
Three quarters of his church
congregation are members of
the group. GTS educates the
members on the need to invest
by buying shares and making
savings of between Sh100,000
and Sh300,000.
They are then introduced to
SME nancier, African Com-
munity Finance Trust (ACFT),
which gives them loans.
In a nutshell, the role of
GTS is to tap what they have
while ACFT is a scheme to
give them loans, Mr Kamunya
notes.
The money is used to buy
plots to build permanent
houses. Other members have
started income-generating
ventures like grocery stalls,
shops, hardware stores, and
poultry rearing.
I give them the example of
small chamas for women which
excel. Why should the church
be poor?
Last year, the group bought
15 acres of land at Janelle
estate along the Nairobi-Kan-
gundo Road near KBC. Mr Ka-
munya is working on another
project to acquire 45 acres in
Kitengela.
After buying the land,
through the organisations
committee, he subdivides it
into eighth-of-an-acre plots for
members.
The aim of this project is to
settle people in a simple and
less costly way, he said.
Besides, the project has
plans to construct a hospital
along Kangundo Road by Sep-
tember this year.
The concept, according to
the pastor, is to enable mem-
bers to access medical care
and own property.
During church services, the
bishop advises the faithful to
avoid being extravagant and
instead save because every
coin counts.
In five years, he believes
that the church members will
be in a position to give better
oertories and tithes because
of increased earnings.
The project does not shut
its doors to non-members of
the church, he said, adding
that at the moment, the major
challenge is getting nancial
sponsors.
Mr Kamunya credits his suc-
cess to Rev Christopher arap
Mutai, Bishop Cyrus Yego,
Reverend Mwini Kimuyu, Dep-
uty Bishop Georey Gichure,
and Mrs Stella Wanjama.
enterprise
WEALTH MANAGEMENT PATRICK WAMEYO
Discipline is the nuts and bolts of wealth creation
FELLOW Christian and Muslim brothers,
allow me to start o by saying that Jesus
Christ and Mohammed were born babies,
and just like us, without any experience. They
had missions to achieve preset with xed
outcomes, awaiting execution. The secret
to wealth is discipline, and this is common
knowledge. Every child receives discipline
from his parents, whichever way it is
administered. However, discipline only
creates value when it is administered
towards the achievement of a specic
goal.
Take for example, a newly wed
young school teacher aged 30 any-
where in rural Kenya earning less than
Sh20,000. If he remains in the humble
profession, he could easily serve the Teach-
ers Service Commission without growing
his salary more than ve times over the
remaining 25 years of his work life. In fact,
he may retire by 2040 without ever taking
home the salary a young bank clerk his age
does.
Yet the teacher, armed with a clear vision,
discipline, and little income to set aside
every month, disciplined investment action
supported by ability to delay immediate
gratication, is capable of creating small in-
vestments every month over 25 years, many
times more than the young banker who lacks
the same strengths.
A review of their nancial wellness by
2040 will most likely show the teacher with
a growing pool of real wealth and a better
quality life. The young banker will most likely
have just paid o the longest mortgage in
history. Did the teacher have more years of
experience, more economic capital, or more
years than the banker?
I propose to you that the critical capital
is not the publicly acknowledged tangible
economic resources. The rst and the most
important piece of capital everyone has is
ability to envision to think a desired
state several years from today, and to engage
the services of self-motivation to roll up ones
sleeves, with or without economic capital,
to start creating the smallest sample of that
future.
It is the act of identifying the elements of
the vision that are achievable with minimal
economic capital, and taking action to pro-
duce learning through results, that create
wealth. It eliminates fear by replacing it with
a personal experience and a proven expansi-
ble opportunity. Economic capital is required
to build on the experience, to expand, not to
create wealth.
Life of squalor challenges pastor
to help his ock build houses
Forget panda mbegu or that
anointing oil mantra, preacher
teaches church members how to
save, buy plots, and build homes
EVEN IF YOU
PREACH
TO PEOPLE
WHO ARE
HOMELESS
AND YOU
CANT SETTLE
THEM, THE
SPIRITUAL
NOURISHMENT
LEAVES A
VACUUM IN
THEIR LIVES.
George
Kamunya
UNIQUE AFTER RAISING SAVINGS, MEMBERS GET LOANS TO CONSTRUCT THEIR HOUSES
LESSONS
150
The number of Grace
Time Society members
who have beneted
from housing plan
Bishop George Kamunya who besides spiritual
nourishment, guides his church members on
how to save and invest.
SAMMY KIMATU | NATION
CIC Insurance: Since its listing in
July 2012 at Sh3.50 per share, CIC
has grown by over 100 per cent. Ac-
cording to CICs biggest shareholder
and Cooperative Bank boss Gideon
Muriuki, the stock has established
good fundamentals after expanding
into micro-insurance business.
Mr Muriuki holds 4.68 per cent
stake. The insurer has plans to extend
share capital to Sh6 billion from Sh3
billion and is seeking a Sh3 billion war
chest to venture into real estate. CIC
gained by 93 per cent between Janu-
ary and May to close at Sh10.70 per
share last Friday.
Investors who took positions at
Sh5 per share with an investment
of Sh250,000 have seen it grow by
about Sh70,000 a month over the
past four months.
The head of risk compliance at Dyer
and Blair Investment Bank, Mr Daniel
Waweru, says CICs rise has been due
to the medium- and long-term inves-
tors who have been drying out the
speculative ones.
It reversed gains made from a high
of Sh7.30 per share on March 4 to a
low of 6.50 per share before climbing
to Sh8 by March 19. Then, it dipped to
Sh7.65 before moving beyond Sh10
in April.
He notes that CICs movement has
frustrated speculative investors. On
Monday, the stock opened at Sh11.25
per share.
KCB: Last week, KCB announced a
28.7 per cent rise in net prot for the
rst quarter of 2014 to post Sh3.9
billion. The jump was buoyed by an 11
per cent upswing in interest income,
which hit Sh10.8 billion.
This boosted the stocks perform-
ance to Sh51 per share on Friday last
week before closing at Sh50 per unit.
In the past two weeks, over 50 mil-
lion KCB shares have changed hands.
The head of Investax Capital, Mr
Ndindi Nyoro, says, The stock is
about to start trading ex-dividend
and this is the right time for investors
to cash in.
The stock has climbed to Sh51, up
from Sh35.50 traded a year ago.
Investors have made gains of about
18 per cent in the past two months
and 70 per cent in the past year.
On Monday, KCB opened at Sh50
before dropping to Sh49.50 per
share in early trading.
The stock is currently trading at
greedy and is unlikely to go beyond
Sh52. Once it hits ex-dividend, the
price will likely reverse the gains
made, says Mr Nyoro.
For long-term investors, Ms Mau-
reen Kirigua, a research analyst at
Sterling Capital, says the companys
quarter one results and diversication
into bancassurance are key indicators
that the stock shall remain forceful in
the long term.
Kinuthia Mburu
CIC stock is
growing, time
to sell KCB
NSE WEEKLY
^ It is important to save in
order to meet future plans
^ By pooling resources, one
benets from economies of
scale
^ You can start small and
grow
Thursday May 8, 2014 DAILY NATION
6 money
BY FRANKLINE AKHUBULA
frankakhubula@gmail.com
Joyce Nthiga never imagined
that her decision to decline em-
ployment and instead venture
into business would turn out to
be an income-generating oppor-
tunity for many people.
The Bachelor of International
Business degree holder is a direc-
tor at Paddy Micro-Investments,
a company that runs PesaPata.
Operating under one of its tar-
is, Tujenge, Paddy lends money
to individuals through M-Pesa.
The challenge she sometimes
experiences is that potential cus-
tomers usually confuse PesaPata
for M-Shwari. The dierence be-
tween the two platforms, she
says, is that customers are not
required to deposit any amount
in their accounts to qualify for a
PesaPata loan, unlike M-Shwari.
Besides the cash being availa-
ble for any Safaricom mobile sub-
scriber with an M-Pesa account,
anybody can become an agent
with PesaPata just by depositing
some amount in their accounts
upon enrolling with PesaPata.
Once this has been done, the per-
son is listed as an agent and will
receive double amount based on
his or her deposits and thereafter
start lending the money, says Ms
Nthiga.
However, one must clearly
establish the creditworthiness of
potential borrowers.
A customer is required to pay
back the debt within 30 days at 10
per cent interest.
PesaPata was developed to
provide a platform where custom-
ers can borrow cash not exceed-
ing Sh20,000, she says.
Repayment
We are, however, evaluat-
ing the entire business and we
may consider increasing the
loan repayment period and the
amount, depending how the
market responds. I think if we are
to increase the period, it will not
exceed six months, she says.
Both the agent and PesaPata
benets every time transactions
are made and the prots made at
the end of the month are shared
between Safaricom, Paddy, and
the agent.
According to the trader, this is
what makes the business unique
and ideal for anybody because
one can do it as a part-time job.
Customers are classied either
as certicate, bronze, silver, or
gold, depending on the frequency
of borrowing and paying loans.
Asked why she chose the M-
Pesa and Safaricom platform, she
says, Safaricom has a wide net-
work compared to its rivals. But
we havent ruled out working with
Airtel. Airtel is the second largest
mobile subscriber network and
we wouldnt like to lock out users
as we target two million agents at
the end of the year, up from the
140 we have currently.
Mutual respect
We encourage shop and kiosk
owners to partner with us because
they understand their customers
better. Paddy is always out of the
picture in the transactions. The
agent lends to his/her customers
based on mutual respect, trust,
and faithfulness, she adds.
PesaPata has won several
business awards and has 35 em-
ployees, up from the six whom
it started with in 2008. It has
outlets in Nairobi, Mombasa,
Eldoret, Kisumu, Nakuru, Meru,
and Embu among other urban
areas even as it sets its eyes on
the East African market.
PesaPata initially depended
on lending cash to customers
through cards, but it has since
switched to digital platforms to
reduce the risks and step up ef-
ciency.
I can help you start lending money
PesaPata
entrepr-
eneur
says
virtually
anyone
can
become
an agent
CAPACITY ENTERPRISE LOANS A MAXIMUM OF SH20,000 TO BORROWERS
rst person
FRANK AKHUBULA I NATION
Through PesaPata,
Paddy micro invest-
ments director Joyce
Nthiga says anyone can
become an agent.
10pc
The interest that customers pay
on loans issued via the Pesa-
Pata platform
DAILY NATION Thursday May 8, 2014
money 7
BY JOHN SHILITSA
josha_2008@yahoo.com
Pumpkins are widely known
for their food value. The fruits
are boiled and eaten while the
leaves provide nutritious veg-
etables. However, Rina Malova, a
farmer from Emuchenje village,
in Khwisero, has brought new
meaning to the crop by making
pumpkin chapati.
Ms Malova, 37, is making good
money from the new venture.
She uses the leafy plant she
started growing in 2004 on her
small farm as the key ingredient.
She is a member of the
Kakamega County Smallholder
Farmers Network that brings
together women doing agri-busi-
ness in Khwisero, Emuhaya, Vi-
higa, and Kakamega counties.
Due to high demand for her
chapati, Ms Malova now buys
pumpkins from her neighbours
because those from her farm
are not enough. And here is her
secret: The pumpkins must be
ripe and of high quality to give
the best products.
On a good day, Ms Malova
earns up to Sh3,000 from the
sale of pumpkin chapati. Ripe
and good quality pumpkins usu-
ally give me a minimum of 200
pieces of chapati, depending on
the size. Each piece goes for
Sh15, she adds.
Living standards
Her earnings have improved
the living standards of her family
and she has bought a heifer with
the proceeds. I nowadays help
my husband, Andrew Opwolo,
in fending for our family. In the
past, he struggled alone, which
was hard for him, especially pay-
ing school fees, she says.
There is ready market and high
demand for the chapatis and even
pumpkin seeds that can be eaten
raw or roasted. I no longer trek
to hawk my chapatis. My custom-
ers come looking for me because
of their quality and nutritional
value, she notes.
The farmers group has ben-
eted from the public nancing
for agriculture, whose main
purpose is to advocate increased
investment in farming with the
focus on women and smallholder
growers.
The members usually hold ex-
change programmes where they
visit various places to learn and
get new ideas. They have inter-
acted with their peers from West
Pokot, Kisii, and Homa Bay.
Fresh ideas
We have travelled far and
wide, thanks to the Action-
Aid-funded project which has
exposed us to fresh ideas. We
managed to learn a lot from the
success stories we encountered
out there, she said.
Part of the programme man-
date is to supply growers with
certied crop seeds in addition
to training and the exposure
visits. This is to encourage farm-
ers to become sucient in food
production regardless of the size
of their land.
I decided to try pumpkin
farming since it required a small
space and is less labour-inten-
sive, she says.
She lets her plants meander all
over the fence surrounding her
farm to create space for as many
stems as possible for increased
yields. The tactic has worked in
her favour.
Dr Martins Odendo, attached
to Kenya Agriculture Research
Institute (KARI) in Kakamega,
said pumpkin is one of most
sought-after vegetables due to its
numerous nutritional values.
Pumpkins provide nutritious
leaves and fruit. It is one of the
plants that Kari has been pro-
moting, although farmers can
easily get the seeds at agrovets
and decide which variety is ideal
for them, he said
Nonetheless, not all pumpkins
are ideal for making chapatis.
You might notice bres in
some varieties. Such are not
ideal for making dough, said Ms
Malova. Dr Odendo concurs.
Ms Malova explains how she
makes chapati from pumpkins.
First, you need to clean and peel
a ripe pumpkin. Cut and remove
the inner layers, which contain
seeds, before chopping it into
small pieces. You then boil the
pieces for about 15 minutes.
Once ready, you thoroughly
mix it with little water to made
into chapatis. One cooks the
pumpkin dough the same way as
wheat our.
Large-scale production
Ms Malova plans to take a
loan, lease land, and venture
into large-scale pumpkin produc-
tion. That is the only way I can
maximise output and, of course,
prots from the plant.
Ms Malova also faces several
challenges, among them erratic
weather patterns, lack of land,
and theft of pumpkins from her
farm, especially at night. This
makes her incur huge losses.
No market? My
customers come
looking for me
Pumpkin
chapati
maker plans
to lease
more land
to farm the
crop since
she lacks
quality fruits
to sustain
her business
SECRET FOR THE BEST RESULTS, THE PUMPKIN MUST BE RIPE AND OF HIGH QUALITY
feature
3,000
Sales in shillings which
Rina Malova makes on
average per day from
pumpkin chapati
As a contractor, I found your article
on contractors all risks (CAR) insur-
ance very illuminating. One enquiry, I
was advised this cover is one among
various classes of engineering insur-
ance. Do you mind giving more insight
on this type of cover?
B.S.S., Nairobi
Engineering insurance is a very useful
but probably least known type of cover.
The concept of this insurance is to pro-
vide material damage cover for contract
works, protecting all parties involved.
Valid for the duration of construction,
it also protects the insured against em-
ployees negligence. It is usually com-
bined with third party liability cover and
is adaptable to the needs of all parties.
CAR is in the same genre with other
types of engineering insurance. For
example, there is civil engineering
completed risks insurance that can be
purchased by both private enterprises
and public authorities to cover roads,
runways, bridges, tunnels, dams, canal
systems, weirs, harbours, sewerage sys-
tems and what have you. It gives cover
against such hazards as earthquakes,
volcanic eruption, tsunami; storm; ood
and inundation; subsidence, landslide,
rock fall or any other movement of
earth.
I can only hope county government
ocials are listening. Engineering insur-
ance can be arranged to cover a host of
complete infrastructure projects against
a wide array of risks.
Other classes of engineering cover
are: machinery and machinery loss of
prots, electronic equipment, compre-
hensive prot and/or comprehensive
machinery, agricultural engineering
risks, aero engine breakdown and dete-
rioration of stock insurance.
Machinery insurance was developed
to grant industry eective cover for
plant, machinery and mechanical
equipment at work, at rest or during
maintenance works. Also known as
machinery breakdown, the product
complements the cover aorded by re
insurance. Thus, it covers unforeseen
and sudden physical loss of, or damage
to, the insured items, necessitating their
repair or replacement. Ideally, all types
of machinery, plant and mechanical
equipment may be covered under it. If
possible, all the machines of a plant or
workplace or of a separate site should
be included in the cover in order to
ensure that the risk is adequately bal-
anced.
You might also have heard of elec-
tronic equipment insurance. The
product covers all electrical and elec-
tronic systems such as electronic data
processing units, electronic equipment
for medical use, communication facili-
ties, lighting and navigation facilities
and equipment for research and mate-
rial testing.
The cover is given in three sections:
for material damage, data media and
increased cost of working. Under ma-
terial damage, electronic equipment
insurance covers sudden and unfore-
seen losses which physically aect the
subject matter insured. For data media,
cover is provided on a rst-loss basis
both for material value of the external
equipment used in computing and for
the costs of reprocessing and restoring
lost information. Further, in the event of
a breakdown, the required computing
capacity is hired, then the increased
cost of working insurance applies. It
covers such expenses as hire charges,
transport costs for data media and per-
sonnel, expenses for accommodation
away from base, night-work or work on
public holidays and the like.
As a whole, engineering insurance is
backed by strong global reinsurance se-
curities that enhance capacity for local
rms to underwrite even mega risks.
For questions on any aspect of
insurance, write to: isaac@ngaruasso
ciates.com
Engineering insurance is valid for the duration of a contract
ASK ABOUT INSURANCE ISAAC NGARU
RIPE AND GOOD
QUALITY PUMPKINS
USUALLY GIVE ME
A MINIMUM OF 200
PIECES OF CHAPATI,
DEPENDING ON THE
SIZE. EACH PIECE GOES
FOR SH15.
Rina Malova
PHOTO | ISAAC WALE
Ms Rina Malova at her pumpkin
farm in Kwisero, Kakamega
County. RIGHT: Ms Malova making
pumpkin chapati.
Thursday May 8, 2014 DAILY NATION
8 money