banking where they hold shares in more than two banks, the oil industry, insurance, hotel and tourism, maritime and freight, media, manufacturing, airline and transport. The Moi family is also big in land ownership, real estate and education.
GEORGE SAITOTI
The late Prof Saitoti, who was plucked from the University of Nairobi by President Moi in 1983 was also ranked among the richest politicians in Kenya.
Prof Saitoti was vice-president for more than 10 years and held ministerial positions in various dockets before he met his death in a plane crash in June 2012.
He had business interests in horticulture, hotel and tourism, real estate andpastoralism. Going by the New World Wealth report, he is an affluent millionaire and his worth ranges from $30 million to $100 million.
NICHOLAS BIWOTT
A powerful minister under President Moi, Mr Biwott is a skilled businessman who built his business empire in various sectors. Ranked as a centimillionaire ($100 million to $1 billion) by the New Wealth World report, he has his anchor business as a key shareholder in Kobil, an oil marketer. He has also invested heavily in energy, mining, telecommunications, tourism, agriculture, banking and real estate.
JOHN MICHUKI
A no-nonsense minister and administrator, the late Michuki was one of the richest Kenyans whose worth is between $30 million and $100 million. His business interests are in hotels with the Windsor Golf and Country Club as the flagship. He also owned several commercial buildings in Nairobi and other real estate assets besides interests in agriculture.
THE ODINGA FAMILY
The Odinga family is also among the wealthiest with political connections.
The patriach, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, was Kenya’s first vice-president under Jomo Kenyatta while his son, Raila Odinga, was Prime Minister in the Grand Coalition government whose tenure ended in March last year.
The family has interests in oil and gas, manufacturing and agriculture.
MWAI KIBAKI
The former President and long-serving MP for Othaya is also among Kenya’s wealthiest politicians.
Besides large tracts of land, Mr Kibaki is reputed to have investments in hotels, agriculture especially tea growing, insurance, real estate and telecommunications. He is also into banking and fashion industry.
SIMEON NYACHAE
The former chief secretary, Cabinet minister and provincial administrator has investments in manufacturing through his flagship Sansora Holdings. He also has interests in agriculture, insurance, transport, banking, and logistics. He is also said to own ranches in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
OTHERS
The wealth of businessman cum politician John Harun Mwau is in the league of billions of shillings.
In an interview with the Nation about two years ago, Mr Mwau said he had invested billions in the US. He is one of the major shareholders of Nakumatt Holdings, a leading supermarket chain in the region.
His name has also been associated with the troubled Charterhouse Bank. He has a stake in a number of companies locally and abroad especially in the Middle East and Asia.
Also in the list of the wealthy people who have political connections are Mr Joshua Kulei, who was an aide to President Moi. He has business interests in insurance, logistics, media and petroleum.
The late Njenga Karume, whose ties spanned across past political administrations, also had immense wealth with investments in agriculture, real estate, banking, hotels and insurance sectors.
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