The creator of the Buzeki Group of enterprises, Bundotich Zedekiah Kiprop, is running for governor of Uasin Gishu County a second time. He gave incumbent Governor Jackson Mandago, who was up for reelection at the time, a run for his money in the previous election.
He is expected to make waves with his well-funded independent campaign in 2022, especially since he will be running against a candidate who is riding the UDA wave in a county that is expected to be a hotbed of politics because it is the home of Deputy President William Ruto, a leading candidate for the presidency.
Thanks to a war chest sponsored by his multimillion dollar corporate empire, Bundotich’s campaigns are often well funded. This makes Buzeki, also known as Bundotich Zedekiah Kiprop, one of the most intriguing candidates vying for governor across the nation. Buzeki is the abbreviation for his three identities.
Buzeki became a self-made billionaire in 1999 thanks to the success of the company he founded. His self-drive has helped by giving the ventures a strong basis. The well-known businessman actually achieved the rarity of becoming a millionaire in his 30s.
The Buzeki Group of enterprises, which mostly engage in dairy and logistics business, was founded and is led by Mr. Buzeki. Serving high-profile customers like the UN-WFP and Bamburi Cement, Buzeki’s company has developed into a key player in East Africa’s logistics and heavy commercial transportation sectors. In these two sub-sectors, he has extensive experience spanning more than 14 years.
Buzeki began his professional life as the regional dairy sales manager for Kilifi Plantations, which was run by his white brother-in-law. Being the leader of a competitive sales team, he made sure that Kilifi Gold milk sold successfully in Coast Province. Later, he led the way in Coast’s introduction of Tuzo Milk, growing it to become the largest milk brand in the region.
His path to financial success began in 2008 when he established Buzeki Dairy Limited, a milk processing and packaging business, and acquired his first plant in Kilifi. The plant could produce roughly 25,000 liters per day.
He established a new facility in Molo in 2010 and gave it the moniker Molo milk. The facility could generate 250,000 liters of milk each day. Before being bought by Brookside Dairy Limited, reportedly at Ksh1 billion, the Molo Milk brand developed into one of the top milk processors. He decided to sell it because he thought the timing was perfect to do so.
The arrangement, which solidified the Kenyatta family-owned Brookside Dairy’s hold on the country’s official milk market, is claimed to have been signed at State House Nairobi. Brookside Dairy Limited is owned by President Uhuru Kenyatta. Buzeki left the State House with Ksh1 billion more in his pocket after only a few hours.
The Kenyatta family has also acquired Ilara, Delamere, and SpinKnit through Brookside Dairies (makers of Tuzo milk brand).
The business tycoon owes NCBA Ksh2.7 billion, which he borrowed to buy 289 trucks and 141 trailers, it was discovered in July 2020. The debt revelation was made in an appeal NCBA filed to stop Landmark Port Conveyors Ltd from selling 53 Buzeki trucks and trailers for a Ksh118 million debt.
The bank said that the 53 trucks and trailers are part of the 289 trucks and 141 trailers bought using the Ksh2.7 billion loan.
During his campaign in 2017, rumours about him emerged. He was said to have been a wild youth who took drúgs and was expelled from Mang’u High School. He was also accused of swindling a 70-year-old widow of Ksh200 million. But he dismisses the rumours, saying people are to tarnish his name politically.
“I was never expelled from Mang’u and I have never done d***s in my life. People are making up stories, they want to taint my image,” he was quoted by The Standard as saying.
Chopper ride, anyone?
Mr Bundotich has a farmhouse in Ainbkoi, Uasin Gishu County, where he practices large-scale dairy farming. Forbes ranked Zedekiah Bundotich among the ten multi-millionaires from Kenya.
The billionaire owns a chopper and values educátion and technical skills. “Educátion is an equalizer,” he wrote on his social media page.
“We need to blend our academic skills with technical and entrepreneurial skills to widen our success opportunities. We should not rely on one path to success. This world is full of infinite possibilities,” he said.
