I Secretly Used School Fees to Build Matatu Empire - Jamal Roho Safi

Nairobi Chairman of Matatu Operators Jamal Ibrahim next to his Toyota Landcruiser 200 series
Nairobi Chairman of Matatu Operators Jamal Ibrahim next to his Toyota Landcruiser 200 series
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Nairobi Matatu Operators Chairman Jamal Ibrahim, popularly known as Jamal Roho Safi, has revealed how he started his fleet of matatus using school fees behind his parents back.

Speaking during an interview on April 19, he said that he pocketed Ksh 420,000 which he was given to enrol in a local aviation school. 

Jamal would stay with his siblings in Nairobi’s South C area because his parents lived in Kajiado and didn’t know whether or not he had been admitted. 

Nairobi Chairman of Matatu Operators Jamal Ibrahim arrives in Nairobi CBD for a meeting
Nairobi Chairman of Matatu Operators Jamal Ibrahim (left) arrives in Nairobi CBD for a meeting
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He started off as a tout and used his income to top up the Ksh 420,000 and bought a used matatu that operated on the Nairobi-South C route. 

“I continued working as a tout on a different matatu and gave my vehicle to a team which would use it and give me money at the end of the day,” he explained. 

When the late Minister John Michuki ordered the enforcement of Michuki rules, Jamal decided to comply as other PSVs went on strike. 

He registered his Telaviv Sacco, applied for a TLB license and ensured that his matatu was on the roads, much to the anger of his colleagues.

“After a few days, some owners approached me and asked how I was able to operate despite the tough rules. I registered their cars into my sacco and they got the required clearance and soon other owners followed,” the businessman intimated.

After a while, he started demanding payment Ksh 500 from all the vehicles he had registered and would receive as much as Ksh 30,000 per day.

After saving most of the money, Jamal was able to invest more vehicles in the industry, expanding his influence. 

“I have seven saccos operating in and outside Nairobi and 16 PSVs for both short and long-distance travel,” the matatu boss revealed. 

Apart from the matatu industry, Jamal has also invested in online businesses and technology, with plans to import the Covid-19 vaccine if approved by the government. 

Nairobi Chairman of Matatu Operators Jamal Ibrahim on holiday with friends
Nairobi Chairman of Matatu Operators Jamal Ibrahim on holiday with friends
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