Kenyans on Forbes list of millionaires to watch

By Steve Mkawale

Kenya: Two young Kenyans have made it to the Forbes list of 10 African millionaires to watch in 2013.

Gerald Wamalwa, 38, and Ken Njoroge, 37, are among the young and rich promising multi-millionaires mentioned in the Forbes Magazine website.

Wamalwa is ranked fourth while Njoroge is sixth on the list that features two other young East African entrepreneurs on their way to becoming multi-millionaires.

Tanzanians Mohammed Dweji and Patrick Ngowi are also promising multi-millionaires.

Wamalwa quit his job as a field civil engineer in 2003 and went to start Mellech, an engineering outfit.

Solely responsible

According a report by the Forbes Magazine website, Mellech Engineering and Construction is now one of East Africa’s leading construction and infrastructure engineering companies.

The company offers services in the construction of building projects, roads, and water and sewer projects and related civil engineering infrastructure projects in Kenya, Southern Sudan and Uganda. It grosses over $11 million a year in revenues. 

Wamalwa also owns ACP Telecoms, a company that provides turnkey telecommunication network infrastructure solutions.

According to the company’s website, over time Mellech has undertaken and commissioned projects of varied natures, from industrial development to public utilities; from commercial and residential developments to large civil engineering projects.

“Mellech Engineering has handled projects across varied regions and markets and is operational in Kenya, Southern Sudan and Uganda, with prospects in the short and midterm for Rwanda and the greater Eastern African region respectively.”

Njoroge, 37, is said to be the founder of Cellulant, a leading Pan-African mobile commerce company that manages, delivers and bills for content and commerce services over mobile networks.

Cellulant provides mobile banking, mobile payments, music, information services and other mobile related services.

Njoroge founded the company in 2004 along with a Nigerian partner, Goke Akinboro. It now has a presence in eight African countries and boasts a clientele of African blue chips like Barclays Bank, Standard Chartered, MTN and other companies.

Cellulant’s revenue for the year 2013 exceeded $120 million. Also top of the list is Tanzanian Mohammed Dweji, 38, the CEO and leading shareholder of Mohammed Enterprise Limited.

Annual turn-over

The magazine notes that Dweji was solely responsible for engineering the group’s transformation from a trading house to a manufacturing powerhouse.

METL, which records an annual turn-over of close to $2 billion, owns 21st Century Textiles, one of the largest textile mills in sub-Saharan Africa by volume.

Patrick Ngowi is another Tanzanian mentioned on the list.  He deals in alternative energy. Ngowi,, 28, is the founder of Helvetic Solar, East Africa’s leading renewable energy company.

Companies in the group are involved in the handling, supply, installation and maintenance of hydro turbines, solar power and thermal systems in East Africa. 

According to Ngowi, Helvetic’s revenues are expected to hit $7 million before the end of this year, and the company is extremely profitable.

The company’s major clients include the United Nations, World Vision and the Tanzanian army.

An emerging philanthropist, Ngowi offers basic lighting facilities to Tanzania’s rural poor through his Light For Life Foundation.

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