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That Manu Chandaria lives a simple life despite running a billion-dollar enterprise never ceases to amaze many.
The business magnate on Friday, June 14 while on an interview with K24’s Betty Kyallo, ushered Kenyans into his home and shared a rare glimpse of his modest life.
The philanthropist who in a past interview revealed that he borrowed the simplicity from Mahatma Gandhi, narrated that he wakes up at 6 am, and switches on his house systems.
“I get up at 6 o’clock in the morning. It takes me five to 10 minutes to open up everything," said Chandaria.
After going through his mail, papers and work schedule (meticulously planned and organized into three different folders), Chandaria takes his breakfast.
It is brought to his home office by staff.
“That is all fruit and juice, there is not tea, bread or sausages?” Quipped a surprised Kyallo.
“For the last two years (if I can remember) it has only been two fruits and a date. After everything is finished, I take my medication. In between there will be one coffee in the office,” he responded.
After a simple exercise to stretch his back muscle with the aid of a staffer to prevent him from falling, he walks to his wardrobe where, as widely known, he confirmed that he owns only five pairs of suits.
"I select what I want to wear today. This is all I have (pointing to the suits in the closet). I’ll wear this today (picks one) because I want to go to the British High Commission. I keep four to six extra shirts.” he added.
The mogul noted that he has only one wallet and two belts, “The belts are two, there is this one (black) and one brown.”
After he gets ready, he takes a specially built lift downstairs and leaves for work.
In 2018, he revealed that his life is a lesson on giving and an extension of the principles advocated and lived by Mother Teresa, who before her 1997 death, was a frequent guest at their home.
“My wardrobe has five suits. One new comes in, one goes out. I give it out. It’s a lesson about giving. I learnt it from Gandhi. I followed Gandhi when I was in the University. I accepted everything he told us. He led a very simple life...
“Mother Teresa was a friend of ours. She came to our house four times. She taught us a lot about prayer. Giving is simple when you want to give. It’s easy to give when you feel the pain of others,” Chandaria told Jeff Koinange.
