John Njoroge Kiege, the prominent businessman and owner of the popular Jiweke Tavern on Ngong Road, has died at age 54.
Njoroge died of a heart attack on July 7. He was buried on Tuesday at his home in Muruka Kandara in Murang’a county. A large virtual burial ceremony was held with eulogies.
Njoroge also owned the highly successful Bourbon Bridge and Visa Place, among other establishments, as well as Omaera Pharmaceuticals and other enterprises.
Born in Mang’u area in 1966, Njoroge was industrious, accomplished in academics and sports and was widely known.
“You were unbeatable in primary school. We used to hear about Muthee Keige’s son as far as Karumu Primary School,” Peter Macharia, a childhood friend, recalled in a eulogy.
Graduating from the University of Nairobi in 1990 with an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy, Njoroge wanted to start a pharmacy.
Back then, the pharmaceutical business was a tough field that required a huge capital outlay and thus was avoided by many Africans.
Njoroge applied for a loan, however, and established Omaera Pharmaceuticals in 1993 in partnership with a Dr Otundo. It flourished. He was the kind of man who also helped others establish pharmacies, even though they might become his competitors.
Then he ventured into another kind of medicine, food and drink.
He established Jiweke Tavern, Bourbon Bridge, Visa Place and others. They too flourished.
Njoroge was a serial entrepreneur.
As a young population and housing enumerator in 1969, he met his future wife, his boss Dorcas. They were married for 31 years and had five children.
“He always jokingly told his friends he had married his boss. She was his best friend other than being his wife,” his brother Henry Njoroge said.
“He used to call me up to 12 times a day. Ours was an open book when it came to money. There was not a single transaction that Njoroge would fail to inform me about,” Dorcas said.
His business sense led to many investments in the hospitality industry.
“He was as tenacious and versatile as a Probox. He could do anything he put his mind to,” longtime friend Rev Dr Anthony Munene said.
To strangers, his sura ya kazi (business face) was intimidating but friends, family and employees were familiar with his kindness and generosity.
“He was the kindest human being ever. He would never punish his children. I was always the one to do that,” Dorcas said.
“He participated in the incubation of other pharmaceutical startups, such as Ocean View, South Coast and Parmland pharmaceuticals. The industry has really lost an industry captain,” his brother Henry said.
"A meaningless life translates to a meaningless death and his was far from that,” Rev Munene said.
Munene urged people to emulate Njoroge who “recognised life as a mystery and lived every day as though it was his last”.
He is survived by his widow Dorcas and children Susan, Kevin, Mark, Albert and Amanda.
(Edited by V. Graham)