The ascent to fame of Rev. David Kariuki Ngari, often known as Gakuyo, can only be characterized as a traditional Kenyan dream tale.
Gakuyo had modest beginnings in 1998 when it sold a single parcel of family land. Since then, it has grown to become one of the nation’s top land purchasing and selling conglomerates.
Gakuyo was raised and was genuinely inspired to create a real estate company while growing up in Munyu village, one of the poorest areas of the wider Thika sub-county. He divided the acreage his father had given him into little portions as a side business, sold them, and then acquired another undeveloped land from a neighbor.
The money from those schemes increased the desire to overcome the odds.
With the money from those plots, the desire to overcome obstacles and the need for a better life were fueled by an expanding church membership that supported these initiatives. He grew alongside those who couldn’t have originally afforded land because of his determination to work ethically.
He aided their growth and land ownership.
“It was not easy. When we started off in the business, it was infested with conmen, imposters and unscrupulous people who were out to fleece others, making it very hard to work through,” explains Gakuyo.
To make it through, he allowed buyers to pay in small instalments before full acquisition, thus earning his company their trust and admiration. Through such elaborate efforts, Gakuyo was able to create so many landowners, some of whom have been lifted off the slums.
“We source, identify and develop value-based properties and services for individuals and businesses across all social and economic strata, an offer that is unmatched by our competitors.”
Gakuyo says that their success is based on their ability to broaden their options by availing to their clients, a wide range investment opportunities to suit their needs. He says that they too appreciate the constant changes in the industry and due to the emerging trends, they continually research and develop products in order to provide significant innovations that meet their customers’ growing needs.
The company procures land, subdivides it and thereafter sells it off at moderate affordable rates to the masses. With time, his company has grown and members’ investments tripled, bringing forth to the giant that is Gakuyo Real Estate Company Ltd.
It has a policy in its operational etiquette that has powered its success over the years, and that is ‘listening to people’s demands’. Rev. Gakuyo says that this is what his brand stands for, and in their push to see the many lives lifted, they have initiated numerous changes that have even been translated in the policy implementation level.
“People who invest with us no longer feel that they have been left out in their achievement of goals, but feel as being part and parcel of the larger community that can invest, even at a very small space,” says Gakuyo.
The company now has myriads of projects which now include Lanet Homes in Nakuru, the Chosen City in Kabati, Murang’a County) and Hotel Lilies in Juja and the recently launched Subukia project.
For each of their projects, the firm builds new infrastructure— perimeter walls, boreholes, electricity connections and other amenities— and provide of title deeds.
The development of financing solutions and easy payment plans they have for the serviced plots endears the masses to their business concept of buying large tracts of land for subdivision.
“Many of those who buy from us have previously been frustrated by the banks who denied them loans due to lack of collateral for security,’ he says.
John Mwangi, a Senior Manager at the company, gives the example of a piece of land they bought near Kabati on the Nairobi-Murang’a Road. It cost buyers Sh. 100,000 per plot, but in just under three years, its value has shot to more than Sh. 1.2 million.
“This is what makes Gakuyo Real Estate a darling of the people. In this process, we rope many people in the land ownership strategy,” says Mwangi.
