3 Politicians Former President Daniel Moi Shared a Bedsitter With

Former President Daniel Arap Moi, one of the wealthiest people in Kenya today, lived a humble life before he became a billionaire.

Moi's journey to gain popularity and wealth was not an easy one as he tried his hands onto a number of business ventures, which for a long time did not work out well causing him to lead a humble life. 

'Baba wa Taifa,' is reported to have shared a single-roomed house in Pumwani in the mid-1950s with three of his friends who, like him, later became politicians. 

The house, which was located at one of the few areas Africans were allowed to rent houses, hosted Ronald Ngala - who later became Minister of Cooperatives and Social Services in Jomo Kenyatta's government, Justus ole Tipis - who was MP for Tinderet and later Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Jean Marie Seroney - who later became Minister of State and MP for Narok North.

[caption caption="File image of Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) leaders Daniel arap Moi, Justus ole Tipis and Ronald Ngala."][/caption]


Despite the four living together for more than six months, it is reported that Seroney used to annoy his three counterparts as he would cook meat with a lot of chilly.

According to ex-Minister Kenneth Matiba who claimed to have guided Moi on investments, the former Head of State was terrible when it came to business matters. 

Moi's early business ventures included selling animal skins, paraffin, managing a posho mill, and eventually was able to establish the Rift Valley Transport Company.

The two first met when Moi was 38 years old while Matiba was 30. At the time, the former Minister owned a 40-acre farm and had built a family home, he then took Moi to visit his place from where he encouraged him to invest as well.

Later when Matiba was appointed the Chief Executive of beer-maker East African Breweries Limited (EABL), he helped Moi set up his first-ever registered business, a beer distributorship firm called Rift Valley Distributors.

When Matiba realized the former President was not particularly good in matters business, he released his personal assistant, one Sammy Lui, to camp in Nakuru and not leave until Moi’s business stood on its feet.

Among other little-known facts about Moi is that he once drove cattle for 10 kilometers in exchange for a Bible. 

When he became the Head of State, he would recite whole passages off-head while on long flights in the presidential jet.

[caption caption="File image of Kenneth Matiba"][/caption]