Mashujaa Day: Ruto Honours Class Three Dropout Who Built Business Empire

According to the President, before Ng'etich's untimely death in August 2022, he was working at the West Valley Sugar Company which began milling operations last week.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Oct 20, 2023 - 12:58 Updated: Oct 20, 2023 - 12:59
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Mashujaa Day: Ruto Honours Class Three Dropout Who Built Business Empire
President William Ruto speaking during the 60th Mashujaa day celebrations on October 20, 2023. /PCS

President William Ruto on Friday, October 20 celebrated the late Samuel Ng'etich Kipsoi who was known for vested interests in real estate, transport, tea, sugar, hospitality, mining, warehousing and retail.

During his speech at the Mashujaa Day celebrations held at Kericho Green Stadium, the Head of State revisited Ng'etich's rise from a humble background where he dropped out of primary school at Class Three.

"We also celebrate Mzee Samuel Kipsoi Ngetich Chepsetyon, an incredible entrepreneur who exemplifies the bottom-up story.

"A class 3 dropout, he pulled himself up through sheer determination, to set up the Kipchimchim Group of Companies, whose interests span various industries and employ thousands of Kenyans," Ruto remarked.

A photo of the late Samuel Ng'etich. /CHARLES KETER.X

According to the President, before Ng'etich's untimely death on August 26, 2022, he was working at the West Valley Sugar Company which began milling operations last week.

Ruto concluded his speech by mourning his demise, stating "Fare the well Mzee Samuel Kipsoi Ngetich Chepsetyon."

Viral Tea takes a look at the life and times of Ng'etich:

Samuel Ng'etich Profile

He was born in Chepsetyon village, Kericho County, in 1949 according to family members. He dropped out of Keongo Primary School, where he enrolled in 1956, at Class Three but rose to become a councillor, a member of the county assembly for Kapkugerwet civic ward and Kericho deputy mayor.

Mzee Ng'etich, popularly known as Chepsetyon (after his village), had vast interests in tea processing and farming and ran a chain of supermarkets across Kericho, Bomet, Narok, Kisumu, Nandi and Nakuru counties, businesses that he started from scratch and built them to formidable enterprises.

Some of the companies that he owned are Mbogo Valley, the Sangalo Tet and Kuresoi tea factories, Kipchimatt supermarkets, SABS Mining and Construction Company, ABSS Warehouses Limited and West Valley Sugar company – running under the Kipchimchim group of companies.

Little do people know that Mzee Ng'etich used to dig pit latrines and weed maize and tea plantations to provide for his siblings. On market days, he was known as a chicken broker but he later opened a hotel, a bar and a shop, and went into the matatu and transport business.

The former councillor and first member of the Kericho County Assembly for Kapkugerwet ward in Ainamoi constituency was a respected Kipsigis community elder and was regarded as a “walking library” of Kericho town.

A staunch Catholic, the politician-businessman died aged 73 while undergoing treatment for a liver ailment at MP Shah hospital in Nairobi, weeks after returning from a hospital in India, his family said.

He is remembered by family and friends as a humble man who went out of his way to prop up others and paid attention to detail in whatever he chose to do. He educated more than 5,000 needy students with his resources through secondary, and middle-level colleges and universities.

He was known for his burly figure, broad smile, trademark flowered and untucked shirts, Kaunda suits and grey afro hairstyle.

In the Kericho County Assembly, he always insisted that, at the time Speaker, Kiptergech Mutai, interpreted to him what had been agreed by members whenever he felt lost, and the significance of the matter at hand.

“He was a very knowledgeable old man, who took very seriously the trust bestowed on him by voters as their leader. He truly wanted to change the lives of the people for the better and used his personal resources and time to achieve that,” Mutai was quoted as saying by the Nation.

A photo of the late Samuel Ng'etich. /FACEBOOK.KALENJIN CULTURE

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