Spurning the silver spoon: Kenya's wealthy kids running successful businesses

About three years ago, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the son of a wealthy and prominent Kenyan got caught in a drug abuse scandal. It is said the man beat his son so badly that the young man ended up in ICU in a South African hospital. The son was later transferred to a hospital in Nairobi. The family went to great lengths to keep the matter secret. Such are the struggles of some wealthy families, when the children take to drugs instead of taking up respectful careers or ventures. But it is not all gloom and doom as some of the scions of these wealthy families are doing admirable work. Rosemary Odinga The daughter of Azimio leader Raila Odinga surprised many when she announced that she was into snail farming. Rosemary at her snail farm. She says she was inspired by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, one of Nigeria's biggest snail farmers, to set up the business in Kenya. Rosemary did extensive research on snail farming before starting out. Her journey began with 13 snails, but most of them died due to improper conditions. In an earlier interview with Smart Harvest she disclosed she worked closely with a Mr Musombi (now deceased). "I am also in constant touch with Obasanjo, who is like my mentor. He always calls to check on how I am doing with the project. When he visits Kenya, he always passes by my farm," she said. With perseverance, Rosemary turned her passion into a successful venture, and even received a permit from the Kenya Wildlife Service. Snails are a sought-after delicacy, particularly among Nigerians, Ghanaians and Asians residing in the country. Muhoho Kenyatta Rosemary isn't the only rich kid interested in farming. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta's son, Muhoho, has also shown an interest in farming. His father said that he used his guns to scare off birds at their Mwea Irrigation Scheme farm. Muhoho is also interested in horticultural farming in Naivasha, where he produces various products for export. "My younger son has an interest in guns, and it's because of his hobby of shooting birds in Mwea Irrigation Scheme to scare them away. They are for animals, and he applied after I was out of office," Uhuru recently said. Charlene Ruto President William Ruto's daughter Charlene has also shown her entrepreneurial and mentorship spirit. Charlene Ruto She is on record as saying she sold smokies at Daystar University. She is a true depiction of the saying an apple does not fall far from the fruit. Her father started off as a chicken seller. Charlene is a farmer, philanthropist and entrepreneur. In a recent interview she was quoted as saying: "While doing spot checks on the hives, we realised that some bees had occupied a hive that had been set upside down and had started forming honeycombs. We turned the hive upright, harvested the honey, and named it "Bottom Up" for easier observation of its progress," she tweeted. Ngina Kenyatta Uhuru's daughter Ngina owns a posh restaurant dubbed The Green Experience in Lari. The joint is located in the middle of the Kenyatta family tea estate in Kiambu County. Ngina, who is married to Alex Mwai, launched the restaurant on May 5, 2018, and it boasts highly-trained chefs and great scenery. Uhuru's aide, Jomo Gechaga, attended the launch and praised the hotel on his social media pages. "I got to be part of #TheGreenExperience, which is an afternoon spent at the breathtaking location where you are first educated and able to sample all the special varieties of teas grown in Kenya, then treated to a five-course meal. The food is prepared by one of Kenya's newest and hottest chefs, and the host who again looks after you is one of Kenya's latest architectural designers who has not held back on attention to details and your surroundings," Gecaga said. Anerlisa Muigai The daughter of Tabitha Muigai Karanja and Joseph Karanja, who own Keroche Industries, is the CEO of Nero Company Limited. Anerlisa's company manufactures and distributes premium bottled water. "Sometimes, you only need a little boost for your business. Please don't give up. Keep doing what you do. The doors will soon open," Anerlisa said.

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