'Karanja': From ‘zero’ to businessman of great repute

A study of going-ons among members of my community has, over the years, taught me that every village has a story to tell. Some of these sound like fairy tales but they are true.

Take the example of a middle-aged man only known by a single name - Karanja. He was first spotted at Wangige market about two decades ago and has literally worked his way from zero to a reputable businessman.

It is said that when Karanja came to the market, he had nothing to start a business with and approached a plot owner asking him to allow him occupy a section of his unused plot at the market.

He said he wanted a place to sell sawdust and cooking wood and got a go-ahead from the plot owner who did not even ask for payment.

To begin his trade, Karanja would keep his ear to the ground on who was selling a tree that he would then chop up into cooking wood, allow to dry and then sell.

Within a few couple of months, the man had built up a huge stockpile and sales were also picking up while his sawdust heap was slowly turning into a mountain. Despite his changing fortunes, Karanja continued with his humble lifestyle, living in a rental mabati house not far from his business plot.

The compound was large enough and he sought permission from his landlord to rear a few oxen who gave him a go-ahead.

Karanja brought home two young oxen and became a familiar fixture at the market carrying a sack where he would stock up on any discarded matter that his oxen could eat.

It was not a pretty sight seeing him rummage through discarded vegetables and fruits but Karanja remained consistent and was able to feed his animals by keeping his expenses to a bare minimum.

In time, Karanja presented his fattened animals to the slaughter house and made a tidy sum from their sale.

He sunk his returns to purchase of more animals and expansion of his wood business. He remained consistent and years later, Karanja had become the owner of a booming butchery business at the trading centre.

He had also bought a pick-up and land enabling him to go full scale into animal rearing.

From humble beginnings, Karanja is to date the talk of the trading centre and a reference point on what hardwork, consistency and being focused can help one achieve.