SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri revealed that he regrets not completing his Engineering degree at the University of Nairobi.
Speaking on Jessy Junction, Karauri mentioned that he shelved his university studies to join Kenya Airways (KQ) as a trainee in the quest to actualize his dream of becoming a pilot.
The retired Captain further stated that he would never advice anyone to abandon his university education in the name of training as a pilot, saying its important to get a degree before joining the aviation industry.
I regret:
“The perception of what an Engineer when you join… I think I was disappointed, because we were given zile computer kubwa na kitumbo huko nyuma, so the interest in the course ilianza tu kuisha. And I believe if the KQ opportunity haingekuwa imekuja hiyo Engineering sijui ningepelekaje… so by the time am telling my Dad mimi nataka kufly lakini yeye anasema just do your Degree and we will see what will happen there after.
…By the way anyone coming to me telling me they want to be a pilot the advice I will give them is; do a degree, finish then fly. Nothing stops you from flying. I regret not having gotten a degree.
…Then Kenya Airways advertises for pilot Trainees where they say they will we trainee you. So you don’t need to do anything, you just had to pass their entry requirement then they pay for everything” said Karauri.
Touching on the ongoing stalemate in the betting industry, Karauri says that he feels like President Uhuru Kenyatta is being sabotage.
“I think Uhuru is a really nice guy, I met him ones…and I fell in love with Uhuru, the guy was so natural and nice with this young people and we sat mpaka late and hata ukiuliza hao wasee wa Rugby walikuwa hapo hiyo siku wanampenda sana…I still have hope that whatever is happening he is being sabotage (that’s my personal opinion) and I think if I had a chance to seat with him I think we can be very good friends. But maybe hiyo chance might never arrive” added Karauri.
Prior to his appointment as CEO of SportPesa, Karauri was the chair of Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KAPA).
“You know, as the boss at KALPA (Kenya Airline Pilots Association), I was deeply involved in fighting the likes of Mbuvi (then KQ boss Mbuvi Ngunze), so I did not quit immediately when the business started. But later on, as the business grew in terms of capacity, because we needed to have someone in charge. Instead of hiring someone with experience, which is not easy to find, I decided to quit in 2014. It is not that I didn’t want to quit, but the way things were, I had to. It was a big change, I now come in the office early in the morning,” he said
