Born In 1941 as Christopher John Kirubi is famous for being businessman, entrepreneur, industrialist and philanthropist.
Below are 10 facts you should know about Chris Kirubi
- He was born in a very poor family. His parents died while he was very young
- He had to gamble between schooling and working so as to win a daily bread for his siblings and finish his education.
- His first job after graduation was a salesman. He sold gas cylinders and repairing gas cylinders for Shell, the petroleum conglomerate.
- Between 1960s and 1970s, he worked as a Kenatco admin, a government owned firm which was specializing in transport services then.
- As from 1971, Kirubi’s entrepreneurial skills started sprouting out so quick. he started off by buying old houses around Nairobi CBD and Mombasa, he would later rent or sell them to his clients.
- Kirubi also bought land pieces around CBDs of Nairobi and Mombasa, where he would also sort to erect rental residentials and commercial properties, or at times sell them at great prices.
- He has large investments in Centum Investment, Centum is listed by Nairobi Stock Exchange and Ugandan Security exchange.
- He is also one of the largest investor individuals in different firms. He has shares in the following firms Haco Industries Limited(100%)- Kenyan household goods manufacturer,98.4 Capital FM (100%)- radio station, Kenya Commercial Bank Group and Nation Media Group
- He serves as member of several groups which on many occasions he is the chairperson. For instance he chairs the following firms : DHL Express Kenya Limited, Haco Industries Kenya Limited, Kiruma International Limited,International House Limited,Nairobi Bottlers Limited,Sandvik East Africa Limited and 98.4 Capital FM. He is also Non-Executive Director of Bayer East Africa Limited, UAP Provincial Insurance Company Limited and Beverage Services of Kenya Limited.
- He also serves as a director at Centum Investments
Lifestyle
- Kirubi studied at Handel’s University, Sweden and Harvard Business School in USA
- His son Polycarp Igathe was former Vivo Energy Managing Director and Nairobi County Deputy Governor
- Kirubi has been ailing from cancer for the last 5 years
- He owns posh cars among them a Maybach worth 50 million shillings
- He was largely criticized for having relationship with university girls especially from University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University
- The 77 year old relationship status remains a complicated matter
- In 2017 general elections, he strongly supported President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto
- Kirubi was one of the top personalities NASA leader Raila Odinga sort to shake hands with in 2018 with his peace pact signed with President Uhuru
- Kirubi also doubles as a motivational speaker encouraging young people to venture into business.
- He is a no nonsense fellow. He exposed a young graduate who used poor grammar while addressing him with a business idea