Man to hoist Kenyan flag in space

By Ally Jamah

The man who will take Kenya’s flag to space has arrived and is expected to meet Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Ashish Thakkar, a 28-year-old billionaire businessman, will today morning meet Raila to receive Kenya’s flag to be taken to space.

Mara Group of companies director Ashish Thakkar, who arrived in Nairobi Monday, is expected to make a Sh16 million trip to space. He will meet Prime Minister Raila Odinga Tuesday to receive a Kenyan flag to hoist in space. [PHOTO: Collins Kweyu/STANDARD]

"I am so happy to be in Kenya and I feel honoured that I will be the first to take Kenya’s flag into space," he told The Standard beaming with smiles. The plane carrying the businessman arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Monday at 3:30pm.

He would be the only East African to blast off to space together with another 100 people from around the world in the Virgin Galactic flight.

Global attention

Mr Thakkar has already received flags from Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and is scheduled to meet President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda this week.

"I believe Kenya can use this historic trip to market itself internationally. I want to boost Kenya’s image abroad," he said.

He was born in UK, but has lived in Uganda for most of his life.

Thakkar’s space venture is the latest in his string of successes that has attracted global attention to him. He ventured into business when he was 15 years. Today he owns a group companies worth more than Sh80 billion with more than 2,000 employees.

He is also expected to discuss with Raila how he could help secondary schools boost learning.

The trip would cost him at least Sh16 million making him the second African to travel to outer space. The first being a South African, Mark Shuttleworth in 2002.