Sam Mburu, a Nakuru businessman, proposed to Susan Kihika, the governor of Nakuru, in a vibrant ceremony held in Laikipia in November 2020.
William Ruto, the incoming president, was present at the dowry negotiations ceremony. The leader of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is tight with Mburu.
After the politician returned to Kenya from the United States after a 20-year sojourn, Mburu and Kihika are said to have met during the 2013 General Election (US).
The young businessman funded Kihika’s campaigning, which helped her win the Nakuru senate seat in the 2017 general election.
In Solai, Nakuru, he started his business empire as a distributor of soft drinks. Mburu was motivated to start a business by the fact that his parents sold charcoal.
Here are some of the Businesses and properties owned by Mburu, as listed by Tuko:
1. Landmark Freight Services
Mburu is the director of Landmark Freight Services, which operates in Mombasa with branches in China.
According to a report by Who Owns Kenya, the company earns over KSh 10 million in revenue monthly.
2. Flats in Kitengela
The businessman has invested in the real estate sector by developing houses for sale and rent in Kitengela.
He owns 62 residential flats in the town, which is one of the fastest growing in Kenya.
3. Rental flats in Embakasi
With the Nairobi population increasing rapidly, leading to high housing demand, Mburu invested in the capital city.
He owns over 43 flats located along Embakasi’s Airport North Road.
4. Rental houses in Nakuru
Nakuru is the largest urban centre in the Rift Valley region, with a population of over half a million inhabitants.
Kihika’s husband has 15 rental houses in Kenya’s fourth city.
5. Luxury cars
Mburu drives over six multi-million luxury cars.
Mburu’s ex-wife demand share of his wealth
Before engaging Kihika, Mburu was married to Beatrice Wanjiku. The duo tied the knot in 2003 and was blessed with two children.
After they parted ways, Wanjiku demanded that Mburu gives her a month maintenance allowance of KSh 757,000.
In documents presented in court, she said that the businessman had set a high standard of life for them, and as such, he had to provide for her and their children.
“I have been part and parcel of my husband’s wealth. Until the year 2010, I had a steady job as a personal assistant to the managing director of the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries and taking home a package of KSh130,000. My husband persuaded me to leave my job and run the business of selling electrical goods in a shop along River Road,” she said.
The court ruled that the businessman should provide KSh 597,000 monthly maintenance to Wanjiku to cover food expenses and other related costs.
Mburu’s tax evasion allegations
In 2019, the businessman was under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) radar for allegedly evading taxes totalling KSh 64 million.
Mburu was accused of colluding with Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) officials to undervalue goods imported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
