How Nairobi Businesswoman Lost Ksh40M in a Month

Cars pictured at a traffic light along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi
Cars pictured at a traffic light along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi
Simon Kiragu

Esther Njihia, a once known and respected businesswoman both in Nakuru and Nairobi, had amassed millions of shillings from importing goods into the Country.

However, she lost all her millions in a period of one month and now hawks porridge and arrow roots in Nairobi city.

In a You tube show, Njihia narrated that in the early 2000's, she imported vehicles, furniture,  photocopier machines, building materials and at one time even sold the late president Daniel arap Moi a phone.

File image of Kenyan banknotes
File image of Kenyan banknotes
File

Her goods were fairly cheaper than what was in the market at that time, hence, she got many clients and worked with a number of companies.

All this time, she was a resident of Nakuru and residents in the area had come to know her as a tycoon.

After saving up millions in her account, Njihia decided that it was time to leave Nakuru and expand her business to Nairobi.

"This is the point where my life changed and led to me losing all the money that I had worked for," she disclosed.

She sold her 6 bedroom home in Nakuru so that she could purchase a Ksh40 million house in Nairobi. However, upon paying, the ownership of the house was disputed as it emerged that the property had been written under five individuals.

In addition, her friends introduced her to a company where she was asked to invest and her money would be tripled.

"My friends told me to invest my money in a company by the name Desi. There, they promised, the money would be tripled and I would not have needed to take any bank loans to buy a home.

"I had deposited a total of Ksh11.4 million in the company...Every time I decided to invest, I would lose the money and not get anything in return," she said.

Till this day, the businesswoman is yet to receive the money she deposited or what she had been promised as dividends.

"All the money that I had got used up in just a month," she said.

Further, Njihia noted that she had also invested Ksh4.2 Million in a company she refused to name because it is headed by an influential government official.

The agreement between her and the company was that she would be paid a total of Ksh400,000 a month for 10 years. Regrettably, the company defaulted on the payments and it ended up being a court case that she lost in 2018.

Years later, Njihia sells porridge to people in Nairobi city.

Esther Njihia, a businesswoman, appearing on You tube show hosted by Jeremy Damaris
Esther Njihia, a businesswoman, appearing on You tube show hosted by Jeremy Damaris
YouTube