10/06/2026
John Kinuthia Makumi, famously nicknamed Mr. Money, was not your ordinary Kenyan billionaire. While today’s tycoons flex with helicopters and Instagram lifestyles, this man built billions starting with—wait for it—chicken. Yes, kuku za kienyeji!
Born in 1930 in Kabete, Kiambu, Makumi dropped out of school at 16. While his classmates were memorizing algebra, he was already negotiating with villagers over the price of chicken. Instead of eating the profits with friends (like most of us would), he saved, invested in land, and slowly climbed into the league of Kenya’s real estate moguls.
By the time he died on December 5, 2019, Makumi had left behind malls, office blocks, and land stretching all the way to Loitoktok. We’re talking Lavington Mall, Wangige Mall, a building in Ngara, the Zadar building in Wangige, and a cool 200 acres in Kajiado. His portfolio was basically a Monopoly board—except real, and in billions.
But here’s where it gets funny: despite owning half of Kiambu (okay, slight exaggeration), the man lived humbly. No helicopter, no flamboyant lifestyle, not even a show-off convoy. His daughter Wanjuhi recalled that her father would happily endure long road trips instead of flying. Imagine being a billionaire and still fighting with makangas over fare balance.
That was Mr. Money.
He also had two wives—under one roof. Billionaires today can barely manage one in separate mansions, but Makumi ran a household economy smoother than Treasury.
His story is proof that you don’t need a PhD, a helicopter, or clout-chasing on TikTok to build wealth. What you need is discipline, vision, and the patience to start small—even with just one chicken.
