First Kenyan to Own a Petrol Station After Independence

A petrol station attendant fueling a vehicle
A petrol station attendant fueling a vehicle in April 2020.
Photo
EPRA

During the pre-independence era, it was rare for Africans to thrive in business. Only a few individuals enjoyed this rare feat. 

In his autobiography, Through My African Eyes, Citizen TV anchor Jeff Koinange disclosed that his father, Fredrick Mbiyu Koinange, was the first African and Kenyan to own a petrol station in Kenya after independence in 1963.

Fuel is one of the most basic commodities and its price variation generally affects the prices of other items due to transport costs associated. Refined petroleum is Kenya's largest import, predominantly from UAE, Saudi and India. However, Kenya discovered her oil in 2012 and the first barrel was exported in 2019. 

"My dad was the first African to own a petrol station after Independence in Ngara, Nairobi. It is called the Koinange Petrol Station till now although he sold it a long time ago," Jeff recalled while reading an excerpt of his book on his show A Chapter a Day through his YouTube channel on Monday, June 22.

CITIZEN TV'S Journalist Jeff Koinange In an Interview With the Kenyans.co.ke on Monday, November 25, 2019
Citizen TV news Jeff Koinange in an interview with Kenyans.co.ke on Monday, November 25, 2019
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke

Frederick Mbiyu Koinange opened the petrol station in 1966. He was also the first African Kenyan to open and own a car dealership. In 1948 while one Mr Cooper of the Cooper Motor Corporation (CMC Motors) opened a dealership firm in a wooden hut along Jackson Road, now Parliament Road, Jeff's father also launched his own in Nairobi.

Jeff added that unfortunately, his father died in 1966, the same year he launched his own petrol station. 

"On the early morning of March 7, 1966, he arrived at the petrol station and as he stepped out of the car, he collapsed. His workers rushed him to the Aga Khan Hospital.

"My mother rushed to the Intensive Care Unit and my father looked at her before he passed on," he added.

Jeff Koinange had just been born 2 months before and the death of his father meant that he would never see nor meet his old man. 

"However something funny about it is that I was born 30 minutes before his birthday. I was born at 11:30 p.m. on January 7, 1966. The next day was his birthday. 

"There is something funny about our family. My mother's birthday is September 24 and my eldest sister's birthday is September 24. My second sister's birthday is April 28 while my brother's is on August 28. My mother planned to have I, her last-born be born on her husband's birthday. However, I arrived 30 minutes earlier," he recalled.

He also added that out of his father's friendship with the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya's first President, Frederick Mbiyu Koinange's funeral was fast-tracked to fit into Kenyatta's schedule. 

"Kenyatta had a busy schedule and my father had to be buried two days later in Kiambaa," he added. 

Jeff Koinange reads his autobiography Through My African Eyes on Monday, June 22, 2020
Jeff Koinange reads his autobiography Through My African Eyes on Monday, June 22, 2020
YouTube
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