List of Kenyan Secondary Schools that Produced Billionaires

 

A report by the World Bank rated the Kenyan education system as the best in Eastern and Southern Africa. Retired president Uhuru Kenyatta is an alumnus of St Mary's High School. Photo: State House, Kenya. Source: Twitter The report indicated that education was key in fostering inclusive development and alleviating poverty. "Learning remains one of the most critical assets for any country to promote equitable growth and poverty reduction, and that cannot happen without a solid foundation," World Bank's senior economist Pedro Cerdan-Infantes said.Education plays a pivotal role in the pathway to billionaire success by equipping individuals with essential skills, knowledge, and a mindset conducive to entrepreneurial endeavours. Which Kenyan secondary schools produced billionaires? 1. St.Mary's School St. Mary's School has produced some of Kenya's top businessmen. Among them are retired president Uhuru Kenyatta, KANU chairman Gideon Moi, Nairobi tycoon Jimmy Wanjigi and Muhoho Kenyatta. In January 2023, Oxfam ranked Uhuru as the fourth wealthiest person in Kenya with a net worth of KSh 60 billion. However, the report cautioned that Uhuru's wealth was likely linked to his wider family. Wanjigi, an alumnus of the prestigious school, said his rise to a billionaire was from humble beginnings as a garbage collector in Nairobi. "My first business was garbage collection. I pioneered private garbage collection in this country. There was a time during the Moi administration when garbage in this city was a nightmare," he said as previously reported by TUKO.co.ke.  2. Kapsabet High School Kapsabet High School in Nandi county was founded in 1925 as the Government African School (GAS) during the colonial era. The institution churns out academic giants who have flocked to local and international universities each year. Top billionaires who studied at the institution are President William Ruto, the late retired president Daniel Moi and former Cabinet minister Henry Kosgei. The Moi family has an estimated net worth of over $3 billion (KSh 468 billion), according to Forbes. 3. Friends School Kamusinga The late billionaire industrialist Chris Kirubi was among the top students at Friends School, Kamusinga. As a bright student, he was admitted to the prestigious Harvard Business School and later to Handel’s University in Sweden. He bagged his master's degree from INSEAD –a non-profit business school with European campuses. Kirubi, who died on June 14, 2021, served as the director at Centum Investment and the chairman of Capital Group Limited, which owns Capital FM. He was a proprietor of several other businesses and properties, including DHL Express Kenya Limited, Haco Industries Kenya Limited, and Kiruma International Limited. 5. Starehe Boys Centre Starehe Boys Centre was founded in 1959 and has produced the best students in the country over the years. Among the school's notable alumni running multi-million businesses are former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth and former Cabinet minister Raphael Tuju. Kenneth is one of the wealthiest politicians in Kenya and was one of the largest shareholders of Mayfair Bank. 6. Maranda High School Maranda High School is an academic giant in the Nyanza region. Former vice president Jaramogi Oginga and his son Raila Odinga schooled at Maranda. Raila disclosed he was worth KSh 2 billion in an interview with NTV. "People say I am very rich. I am not rich. I am worth KSh 2 billion which we own collectively as the Odinga family," he revealed. 

by  Japhet Ruto