School dropout who moulds engineers

By Nanjinia Wamuswa

What does it take to lecture in a university? Postgraduate qualification? May be, but not so for a Kakamega man.

Many university and college students learn engineering skills at the feet of the Standard Seven graduate.

Born in 1957 in Matungu constituency, Mr Ismael Matsukhu Shebah nurtured dreams of becoming an engineer but dropped out of school due to lack of school fees.

"I knew I had to work hard and I allocated more time to Mathematics to steer my engineering dream," he said.

After his Certificate of Primary Examination in 1976, his dream for formal education was shattered when his father told him he had no money for his school fees. But he believes his father had what it takes to support him but just refused.

Mr Ismael Matsukhu Shebah during the interview. [PHOTOS: NANJINIA WAMUSWA/STANDARD]

Shebah’s father, a mobile posho mill repairer, wanted him to follow in his footsteps . Though he inspired him, he wanted to acquire engineering skills through formal education.

Sh2 million assets

Shebah became a farmer for a while before reviving his dream. In 1979 he joined his father but set his eyes beyond posho mill repairing.

This was the beginning of success for the owner of S I Steel Joinery, which has machinery assets worth more than Sh2 million.

"I learnt hard and fast. As my father opened the mills to repair engines, I studied how the mills and tanks were assembled. Within a short time I had mastered it."

In 1986, after saving Sh58,000 from cane proceeds, he bought an old posho mill for his practical lessons. He dismantled the mill and reassembled it.

After testing the machine and establishing that it could work, he knew his time had come.

He saved some money from the posho mill business and bought a new engine, sheet metals, and other spare parts. After one year he built a new posho mill. He sold it and made another. The demand for posho mills rose rapidly in the district, prompting him to make more posho mills.

Closco Kenya Company sold to Shebah engines at subsidised prices. He can assemble a posho mill in a single day.

With knowledge of assembling a posho mill, Shebah observed how jaggery operators ran simple cane crushers and thought of how to improve them.

"I wanted to make it power-driven — and not the manual ones where people pushed or animals pulled them around," he said. He studied the machine and discovered how the engine used on posho mills could also power the cane crusher. After few months he assembled an engine-powered cane crusher.

His profile grew as he discovered other machines and spare parts. He says: "My mind is always at work to discover something new."

Today, he manufactures starters, mortars, nuts and bolts, nails, maws, mouldboard ploughs, generators and many others. Shebah has always been working from his home compound but he has now expanded and relocated to bigger workshops. One is based at Shibale near Mumias town and the other at Ejinja shopping centre along Mumias-Busia road.

His company has employed more than 15 casual workers. Today, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology sends engineering students to learn practical skills at his workshop. Students on internship come from nearby institutes and colleges to his workshop and also locals learn through apprenticeship. When business is good Shebah sells more than six big machines, and many other smaller ones, worth thousands of shillings in a month. He says for some time now the business is low due to the financial crisis.

Former students

His former students, who are now manufacturing products similar to his, have invaded his market. But he is happy for imparting skills and his fame continues to grow.

He wants to establish a big showroom in Mumias town and later in other major towns like Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nairobi and Mombasa. He is also working on an export plan.

The polygamous man, with more than 20 children, says lack of higher formal education made him even more ambitious.

 

 

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