All over the world, the teaching profession is a highly valued career, given the role teachers play in shaping the future of their students.
Unknown to many, there are prominent Kenyan billionaires who started their careers working as teachers. From working as Standard One teachers to lecturers, the billionaires have amassed wealth for themselves in the education sector, and other fields.
Here is a list of Kenyan billionaires who started out their careers in the classroom.
1. Daniel and Eddah Gachukia
Before founding the Riara Group of Schools, Prof Eddah Gachukia, together with her husband Dr Daniel Gachukia started their careers as teachers having graduated from Makerere University in Uganda.
While Daniel taught at Namilyango High School in Uganda, Thika and Kagumo High Schools in Kenya, Eddah on the other hand started her teaching career at Thika High School.
After advancing her education at Leeds University and the University of Nairobi (UoN), the linguist started her role as a lecturer at UoN from 1973 to 1987. During that period, she also served as a nominated Member of Parliament.
Over the years the duo has built the Riara Group of Schools to a multi-education prestigious institution that has a kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, international school, and the Riara University.
2. SK Macharia
Over the years, SK Machari has become popular among Kenyans for his investments in the media industry i.e. the establishment of the Royal Media Services (RMS), the parent company of Citizen TV.
Unknown to many, the billionaire started his career as a teacher. Prior to joining the Kahuhia Teachers Training College, Macharia served as an untrained teacher at Makomboki primary school, Muranga County.
At a past interview in February 2020, the billionaire stated that he taught at another primary school before travelling to the United States to pursue further studies.
"In 1958 and '59, I attended Kahuhia College for P3 teachers training and I qualified to teach class one pupils. I was number one out of that college and was posted to Gaturo Primary School where I taught for three months," Macharia stated then.
3. Daniel Arap Moi
Before venturing into politics, Kenya's second President the late Daniel Arap Moi worked as a teacher. Moi was posted to Tambach Teachers Training College where he served as an assistant principal.
In 1955, he became a member of the Legislative Council of Kenya (Legco) and later joined the government serving in various ministerial positions, and the Vice President position before assuming his role as the Head of State following the passing of founding President, Jomo Kenyatta in 1978.
Despite his career as a politician, Moi amassed wealth for himself by starting various learning institutions in the country such as Kabarak University which is built on his farm in Kabarak, Nakuru County. Over the years, his family has been considered one of the wealthiest families in Kenya.
4. Simon Gicharu
Unknown to many, founder and Chairman of Mount Kenya University (MKU) taught in various secondary schools before teaching at the Thika Technical Training Institute and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Gicharu graduated in 1990 from Kenyatta University with Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. Additionally, he is also the author of Applied Mathematics for Craft Engineering.
Under his leadership, MKU has become the biggest private institution of higher learning in the country going to the lengths of opening a branch in Kigali, Rwanda.
Apart from his investments in education, Gicharu also owns Cape Media Limited which runs TV47.
5. Mwai Kibaki
Kenya's third President, Mwai Kibaki joined the teaching profession working as an Assistant Lecturer of economics at Makarere University in Uganda.
Unknown to many, he was the first African to attain a first-class in economics from the London School of Economics.
In 1960, Kibaki joined politics after joining Kenya's independence party, KANU. He served as a Vice President during Moi's reign and was elected as the Head of State in 2002.
During his reign, his administration achieved milestones in the education sector through the introduction of free primary education.
