President Uhuru Kenyatta has eulogised the later Mastermind Tobacco founder Wilfred Murungi as an industrious and vibrant entrepreneur who made a significant contribution to the growth of the manufacturing sector in Kenya.
Mr Murungi, who had been unwell for several months, died on Thursday morning. He was in his early seventies.
In his condolence message to family and friend, President Kenyatta said the country had lost one of its most prominent business leaders.
“I am deeply saddened by the death of Mr Murungi. He was a man of great insight and unique leadership qualities. His commitment and determination were his strongest assets,” he said.
“His death leaves a gap that will not be filled, certainly not by these few words of consolation, but we thank God for the time we shared with him, just as we are grateful for the full use he made of it.”
The President further said that Mr Murungi will be missed by many Kenyans, especially those whose lives he positively impacted.
“In this hour of sorrow, I convey my condolences to the relatives and friends of the late Wilfred Murungi. My thoughts and prayers are with you. May the almighty God grant you all the courage and strength to bear this loss,” he said.
BUSINESS ACUMEN
Mr Murungi founded Mastermind after learning the ropes of the cigarette industry during a stint at BAT Kenya, which he left in 1985, having held the position of technical director.
Two years later, he took the battle to his former employer in a field that was previously the exclusive playground of multinational firms.
Mastermind took two years to contract tobacco farmers and build a leaf processing plant and cigarette manufacturing factory, after which Murungi launched the company’s flagship brand – Supermatch – in 1989.
The filterless Rocket brand followed two years later in 1991, targeting the lower end of the market.
The reclusive tycoon will be remembered for his long-running battle with the taxman and fierce rivalry with BAT, which played out in court and even reached the floor of Parliament.
With his exit from the stage, it remains to be seen whether his inheritors will turn the fortunes of the firm, at a time when regulatory controls are also hitting the sector hard.
Additional reporting by Charles Mwaniki